All the other crayons expect Red to conform to their expectations but he simply can’t. He can’t draw a red strawberry, and when he and Yellow are paired in school and assigned to draw an orange together, he fails at that, too. Even his self-portrait is wrong—he draws himself blue. Everyone tries to fix Red, but with no success. Children will see what the other crayons can’t—that Red is actually a blue crayon with the wrong paper label. Ultimately Red’s story is both a clever and accessible way to show that people aren’t always what you expect them to be, and that we must look beyond labels and outside appearances. (Ages 3–7)

A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as "red" suffers an identity crisis in this picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo. This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon's Story is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age!

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries!

Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue!