Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition (Purple Crayon Books)

• 1983 - Harper Trophy - Paperback
• Harold & the Purple Crayon
• By Crockett Johnson
• VG Condition
• Classic / Collectible

Was it worth it, this awful struggle to survive, no matter what the cost?"

Harold is Hal Holbrook’s affecting memoir of growing up behind disguises, and his lifelong search for himself. Abandoned by his mother and father when he was two, Holbrook and his two sisters each commenced their separate journeys of survival. Raised by his powerful grandfather until his death when Holbrook was twelve, Holbrook spent his childhood at boarding schools, visiting his father in an insane asylum, and hoping his mother would suddenly surface in Hollywood. As the Second World War engulfed Europe, Holbrook began acting almost by accident. Thereafter, through war, marriage, and the work of honing his craft, his fear of insanity and his fearlessn! ess in the face of risk were channeled into his discovery that the riskiest path of allâ€"success as an actorâ€"would be his birthright. The climb up that tough, tough mountain was going to be a lonely one. And how he achieved itâ€"the cost to his wife and children and to his own conscienceâ€"is the dark side of his eventual fame from performing the man his career would forever be most closely associated with, the iconic Mark Twain.

One evening Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight. But there wasn't any moon, and Harold needed a moon for a walk in the moonlight. Fortunately, he had brought his purple crayon. So he drew a moon. He also needed something to walk on. So he drew a path...

And thus begins one of the most imaginative and enchanting adventures in all of children's books. The creative concept behind this beloved story has intrigued children and kept them absorbed for generations, as page by page unfolds the dramatic and clever adventures of! Harold and his purple crayon.

"One night, after thinking i! t over f or some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins this gentle story that shows just how far your imagination can take you. Armed only with an oversized purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of beauty and excitement. But this is no hare-brained, impulsive flight of fantasy. Cherubic, round-headed Harold conducts his adventure with the utmost prudence, letting his imagination run free, but keeping his wits about him all the while. He takes the necessary purple-crayon precautions: drawing landmarks to ensure he won't get lost; sketching a boat when he finds himself in deep water; and creating a purple pie picnic when he feels the first pangs of hunger.

Crockett Johnson's understated tribute to the imagination was first published in 1955, and has been inspiring readers of all ages ever since. Harold's quiet but magical journey reminds us of the marvels the mind can create, and also gives us the wondrous sense that ! anything is possible. (Ages 4 to 8)