The Day the Crayons Came Home

Those obstreperous crayons are back making Duncan’s life interesting. This time they are sending postcards bewailing their various fates – being sat on, eaten and puked up by a dog, melted in the sun, abandoned on holiday, or just being fed up with being pea green – and letting him know what they are going to do about it and what they expect from him. Once again, Oliver Jeffers realises Drew Daywalt’s crazy text perfectly with illustrations that capture the character of each crayon and that mix retro post-card and colouring book style, naïve wax crayon drawing, and the occasional naturalistic illustration of a pencil, sharpener or paperclip. It’s certainly as good as the first book, which means it’s very good indeed. And, for extra shiver, it features a Halloween themed double page spread from Glow in the Dark Crayon.