Most Popular Books by Crockett Johnson

Harold with his purple crayon draws himself through a story.

From the creator of the treasured children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson, comes another adventure for Harold and his magical purple crayon. Harold is going on an alphabet adventure from A to Z with his trusty purple crayon! This imaginative classic story is just right for little ones learning their ABCs. “A unique kind of ABC book.” (The Horn Book)

From the treasured author of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson, comes an I Can Read adventure for Harold and his magical purple crayon. Harold needs a picture for his bedroom wall, so he takes his purple crayon and begins to create a whole new world around him. But then he notices he has gotten very small—half the size of a daisy! Only a very clever artist could find his way home now. This Level 1 I Can Read imagination-sparking adventure is perfect for the beginning reader learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

Soon to be a major motion picture! Step into the imaginative world of Harold and the Purple Crayon like never before! This story-driven activity book based on Crockett Johnson's beloved character encourages readers to literally pick up their crayons and use their imagination to go on an adventure with Harold. Explore the bottom of the ocean and the tops of trees, escape monsters, pirates, and dragons, and have a blast with Harold on this epic interactive adventure. Featuring an activity that engages young readers' imagination, creativity, and problem solving-skills on every spread, the fun-packed story can be read over and over again even after the activities are completed! Ever since the publication of Harold and the Purple Crayon in 1955, Crockett Johnson's crayon-wielding hero has had a devoted following. This exciting new interactive story featuring the classic character, with its clever and inventive twists, will delight fans old and new.

Two children find themselves in a story when they write words in the sand on the beach, and whatever they have written appears when the waves wash the words away.

Purple crayon in hand, Harold draws a tightrope and falls into a circus [where he has many adventures]. As in the previous books, the dauntless Harold is resourceful and loveable." SLJ.

Originally published in 1959 and out of print for two decades, this collection of very short stories chronicles Ellen’s relationship– complete with two-way conversations–with her floppy stuffed lion. Ellen’s temperament is a bit like Christopher Robin’s (though her appearance is a clone of Harold, from Harold and the Purple Crayon fame), but her lion is a no-nonsense, tougher-minded Pooh, with the voice of reason and reality to counter Ellen’s high-flying imagination. The stories range from fear of the dark and being sad to playing doctor, being a fairy princess, and dealing with a new toy that almost replaces lion. Parents will find the subtly droll stories as entertaining as children, and a child who reads chapter books will find especially rewarding.

With his purple crayon Harold draws his way into an enchanted garden troubled by a giant witch.

So anxious is the groundhog to predict an early spring that he is grossly misled by an artificial flower.

With his magic purple crayon, Harold draws himself into a rocket voyage to Mars, then safely back to earth just in time for breakfast.

Volume Four collects 1948–1949; the misadventures of five-year-old Barnaby Baxter and his Fairy Godfather J.J. O’Malley continue. Bumbling but endearing, Mr. O’Malley rarely gets his magic to work ― even when he consults his Fairy Godfather’s Handy Pocket Guide. The true magic of Barnaby resides in its canny mix of fantasy and satire, amplified by the understated elegance of Crockett Johnson’s clean, spare art. It combines of Johnson’s sly wit and O’Malley’s amiable windbaggery, a child’s feeling of wonder and an adult’s wariness, highly literate jokes and a keen eye for the ridiculous.

Before authoring one of the most beloved children’s book series of all time ― Harold and the Purple Crayon ― cartoonist Crockett Johnson created the comic strip Barnaby for over ten years (1942 to 1952). Its subtle ironies and playful allusions never won a broad following, but the adventures of 5-year-old Barnaby Baxter and his fairy godfather Jackeen J. O’Malley was and is a critical favorite. The first volume will collect all the strips from 1942 and 1943.

A classic Harold and the Purple Crayon holiday adventure picture book! Harold at the North Pole finds Harold in need of a Christmas tree and Santa in need of Harold’s help. It's up to Harold to draw a pack of jolly reindeer to transport Santa, along with his big bag of toys, through the night and save Christmas! Crockett Johnson’s Christmas adventure, with its clever and inventive twists, will delight little ones eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival. Perfect for the young readers who enjoy other classic holiday board books, such as A Christmas Wish for Corduroy, Biscuit’s Snowy Day, and Merry Christmas, Mouse! Also available in board book, paperback, and hardcover editions. Perfect for holiday storytime and family reading Filled with joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season A delightful Christmas gift for readers everywhere

Una noche, Harold decide dar un paseo a la luz de la luna. Pero hay un pequeNo problema: La luna no esta fuera! Por suerte, Harold lleva consigo su lapiz color morado y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos, se" las pinta solo" para enredarse en toda clase de aventuras.