The Day the Crayons Quit - Animated Read Aloud

Summary

In 'The Day the Crayons Quit' by Drew Dewalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, Duncan finds a stack of letters from his crayons, each expressing frustration over how they are used. Red crayon is overworked, Purple crayon dislikes going outside the lines, Beige crayon feels overshadowed by Brown, and Gray crayon is exhausted from coloring large animals. Meanwhile, White crayon feels invisible, Black crayon is frustrated with only outlining, and Yellow and Orange crayons fight over who represents the sun. Despite these complaints, Duncan’s creativity shines as he finds a way to make his crayons happy, earning an A for his colorful efforts and an A+ for his imagination.

Takeaways

• 😀 Duncan's crayons write letters to express their frustrations and needs.
• 😀 Red Crayon feels overworked due to constant use for fire engines, apples, and holiday decorations.
• 😀 Purple Crayon is upset about its beautiful color being used outside the lines.
• 😀 Beige Crayon is tired of being mistaken for light brown and feels underappreciated compared to Brown Crayon.
• 😀 Gray Crayon is exhausted from coloring large animals like elephants, rhinos, and whales.
• 😀 White Crayon feels invisible as it's often used on white paper, making it hard to see.
• 😀 Black Crayon is frustrated with only being used for outlines and asks for more creative use, like a black beach ball.
• 😀 Green Crayon is content with its work but is concerned about the ongoing conflict between Yellow and Orange Crayon over who is the true color of the sun.
• 😀 Yellow Crayon insists it's the true color of the sun, citing its use in a coloring book as evidence.
• 😀 Orange Crayon also claims to be the color of the sun and argues it is used more frequently in specific coloring books.
• 😀 Blue Crayon feels neglected because it hasn’t been used in the past year, though it appreciates being used by Duncan's sister.
• 😀 Pink Crayon is upset about being unused and urges Duncan to use it for things like pink dinosaurs or monsters.
• 😀 Peach Crayon is embarrassed after its paper wrapper was peeled off, making it feel naked and exposed.
• 😀 Duncan decides to show his teacher the crayons' letters, leading to a creative and successful picture.
• 😀 Duncan's teacher appreciates his creativity, awarding him an A for coloring and an A+ for creativity.

Q & A

What is the central theme of *The Day the Crayons Quit*?

The central theme of the book is the crayons' feelings of being overworked and underappreciated. Each crayon writes a letter to Duncan, expressing their frustration with their roles and requesting changes to how they are used.

What message does the letter from the red crayon convey?

The red crayon's letter conveys its exhaustion from being used constantly for high-visibility tasks such as coloring fire engines, apples, and Christmas-related images. It requests a break from overwork.

What issue does the purple crayon address in its letter?

The purple crayon is frustrated with Duncan's tendency to color outside the lines, causing much of its color to be wasted. It asks Duncan to start coloring more neatly to preserve the crayon's vibrant hues.

Why is the beige crayon upset in its letter?

The beige crayon is upset because it is often mistaken for light brown or dark tan and feels overshadowed by the brown crayon, which gets all the important roles, such as coloring animals, while beige is limited to coloring food items like turkey dinners.

What request does the gray crayon make?

The gray crayon is overwhelmed by the large animals it is asked to color, such as elephants, rhinos, and whales. It requests that smaller creatures, like baby penguins, be colored with gray to reduce its workload.

What problem does the white crayon face?

The white crayon feels neglected because it is mostly used to color snow or to fill in empty spaces on the page, and without a black outline, it would be invisible. It expresses its desire for more visibility and purpose.

How does the black crayon feel about its role in Duncan's artwork?

The black crayon is frustrated with only being used for outlining objects while other crayons fill them in. It requests that Duncan occasionally use it to color in objects, such as a black beach ball, to give it more significance.

What is the relationship between yellow and orange crayons, according to their letters?

Yellow and orange crayons are in conflict, both claiming to be the true color of the sun. Yellow crayon argues that it is the sun's true color, while orange crayon insists it is the rightful color. Both are upset and refuse to speak to each other, creating tension among the crayons.

How does the blue crayon express its dissatisfaction in the letter?

The blue crayon is upset because it feels neglected by Duncan, who has not used it in over a year, likely because he associates the color with being 'girly.' It also thanks Duncan's sister for using it but asks for some recognition in Duncan's artwork.

What is the peach crayon's main concern?

The peach crayon's main concern is that Duncan peeled off its paper wrapping, leaving it 'naked' and embarrassed. The crayon asks for some clothes to cover its shame and allow it to be used in Duncan's artwork.