Reynolds’ text might as well be a Rod Serling monologue for its perfectly paced foreboding and unsettling tension, both gentled by lightly ominous humor. As guilt-ridden Jasper receives accolade after accolade for grades and work that aren’t his, the crayon becomes more and more possessive of Jasper’s attention and affection, and it is only when Jasper cannot take it anymore that he discovers just what he’s gotten himself into. Jasper is only a little creeped out until the crayon changes his art-the one area where Jasper excels-into something better. When he faces a math quiz after skipping his homework, the crayon aces it for him. When Jasper watches TV instead of studying, he misspells every word on his spelling test, but the crayon seems to know the answers, and when he uses the crayon to write, he can spell them all.
Jasper is flunking everything except art and is desperate for help when he finds the crayon.
When a young rabbit who’s struggling in school finds a helpful crayon, everything is suddenly perfect-until it isn’t. Intriguing word choices and varied verses will hold readers’ attention, though the rhyming does, at times, hold the narrative back slightly. Employing the many stages of an adventure-quest, drama, return-McLean crafts a brief tale of rolling emotions. The artwork’s sunny hues match the warmth of the loving reunion between Jack, his light-skinned owner, and his brother, Kes. Weary, hungry, and downtrodden, Jack slowly limps toward home-a far cry from the exuberant energy of the previous trip on the same path. Luckily the voyage is only a few days long, and the boat returns to the same harbor. The rain beats down hard on Jack’s back and his neck.” Poor Jack. But then, the sea turns rough: “The sea heaves the boat, and the waves splash the deck. The ocean! After stowing away on a lobster boat, Jack can’t wait for an adventure. As he crests a hill, Jack suddenly sees a vast expanse of sparkling blue. He scampers outside and trots down the road. So when the wind blows his house’s door open one day, the temptation is too great. Jack, a curious terrier, loves to explore.
A pup’s wanderlust suddenly gets him into a seafaring predicament.
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