The Crayon Box That Talked

This is my son's favorite book. I used to read it to him (he's 4) but now he reads it to me...and I learn something new everytime he does.The poem is simple yet profound...it's about a box of crayons that doesn't get along until...well, read it and find out!!!It's a must have for all home libraries. Adults can learn a lot from this book, too.

As a school social worker I'm using this book to talk to a predominantly African-American 1st grade class who is having problems with teasing due to being too light or too dark. After I read the book I have them hold up their pointer finger and pretend it's a crayon. I tell them to scribble on their desk with their crayon and then look at the scribbles of the kids around them. The color that is produced is the color of their skin. They see that none of the shades are exactly the same, and that leads into a discussion of why we treat people differently due to skin color. It puts a somewhat complex concept into simple terms and is a delight to read. Kids love it!

This book was great. While attending the TASC (Tennessee Student Council) state convention, one of our keynote speakers read us this book. This was to about 650 junior high and high school students. The kids loved the book. It is one of those books that no matter how old you are, it carries a powerful message. I am buying it for myself (36 year old teacher) and my classes.

I read the book The Crayon Box That Talked to my 2nd Grade students. We all thought that the book was super! We talked about the differences in each other and the students each told another student something they liked about them. The students felt good about themselves and each other! This was a great book to start off our Peace Unit. As a diverse staff, we gave this book as a gift to our principal with simple messages of how we complement each other and as a staff we make a complete picture because of our uniqueness! Thanks Shane! Ms. Roushonda Morrison, 2nd Grade Teacher