Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved The Day the Crayons Quit, try The Day the Crayons Came Home, Red: A Crayon's Story, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Dot, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and I Want My Hat Back. Each one is a funny, clever picture book with surprising narrators, colors or creativity.
Drew Daywalt's 2013 picture book, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, opens when a boy named Duncan finds a stack of letters from his crayons. Red is overworked, Beige feels ignored, Black wants to draw more than outlines and Yellow and Orange argue over who is the true color of the sun. Duncan comes up with a creative solution. Readers love its humor and voices. These books share its funny narrators and creativity.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Day the Crayons Came Home | Drew Daywalt | 4-8 | readers who want the sequel |
| Red: A Crayon's Story | Michael Hall | 4-8 | readers who like being yourself |
| Harold and the Purple Crayon | Crockett Johnson | 3-7 | readers who like crayon adventures |
| The Dot | Peter H. Reynolds | 4-8 | readers who like art |
| Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! | Mo Willems | 3-6 | readers who like funny talking characters |
| I Want My Hat Back | Jon Klassen | 4-8 | readers who like deadpan humor |
| Dragons Love Tacos | Adam Rubin | 3-7 | readers who like silly logic |
| The Book with No Pictures | B.J. Novak | 4-8 | readers who like funny read-alouds |
| Mouse Paint | Ellen Stoll Walsh | 2-5 | younger readers |
| Lost and Found | Oliver Jeffers | 3-7 | readers who like Oliver Jeffers |
| Stuck | Oliver Jeffers | 4-8 | readers who like absurd humor |
| Beautiful Oops! | Barney Saltzberg | 3-7 | readers who like mistakes |
| Interrupting Chicken | David Ezra Stein | 3-7 | readers who like interruptions |
| Press Here | Hervé Tullet | 3-6 | readers who like interactive books |
| Where the Wild Things Are | Maurice Sendak | 3-7 | readers who like classics |
1. The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
Lost crayons send Duncan postcards.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
A blue crayon labeled red.
Best for: readers who like being yourself.
3. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
A boy draws his adventure.
Best for: readers who like crayon adventures.
4. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
A girl makes her mark.
Best for: readers who like art.
5. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
A pigeon begs to drive.
Best for: readers who like funny talking characters.
6. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
A bear looks for his hat.
Best for: readers who like deadpan humor.
7. Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Dragons love tacos.
Best for: readers who like silly logic.
8. The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
A book that makes the reader say silly things.
Best for: readers who like funny read-alouds.
9. Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Mice mix colors.
Best for: younger readers.
10. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
A boy helps a penguin.
Best for: readers who like Oliver Jeffers.
11. Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
A boy throws things to free a kite.
Best for: readers who like absurd humor.
12. Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
Mistakes become art.
Best for: readers who like mistakes.
13. Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
A chicken interrupts bedtime stories.
Best for: readers who like interruptions.
14. Press Here by Hervé Tullet
A book that asks you to press.
Best for: readers who like interactive books.
15. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
A boy sails to the wild things.
Best for: readers who like classics.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Day the Crayons Quit: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Day the Crayons Quit. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Read The Day the Crayons Came Home for more crayon complaints. For color and identity, Red: A Crayon's Story is perfect. If you love funny voices, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and The Book with No Pictures are hilarious. For more Oliver Jeffers art, try Stuck.
Related: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Day the Crayons Quit about?
A boy's crayons write letters complaining about how he uses them.
Who illustrated it?
Oliver Jeffers.
What age is it for?
It suits children about 4 to 8.
Is there a sequel?
Yes. The Day the Crayons Came Home.
Is it good for teaching writing?
Yes. Teachers use it for persuasive letter writing.
Is there a film?
A film adaptation has been in development.
What should my child read next?
Red: A Crayon's Story.