Author/Illustrator: Michael Hall
Publisher and Year: Greenwillow Books 2015
Number of Pages: 37
Genre: Fiction
Analysis
This book tells the story of a blue crayon that is labeled as a red crayon and all the other colors try to fix him. They give many suggestions as to why he can’t produce a red color and try to find different solutions so he finally can create red. In the end, he and everyone else finally realizes that he is blue and not red.
This story is all about learning to accept a person the way that they were made. Just because a person might have a label on them does not mean that they have to conform to that label. If someone is gay, they might feel pressured to fit into society because society says that guys should not like other guys. People shouldn’t change the way they are or feel just to please society. And society shouldn’t force or try to change people. In the book, all the other crayons came up with all these excuses as to why the “red” crayon couldn’t produce a red color. They suggested that the “red” crayon was lazy or not very bright. Other’s questioned if he was actually red at all. “Don’t be silly. It says red on his label.” “He came that way from the factory”. Just because someone might have a label most certainly does not mean they have to conform and fit the characteristics of that label.
Perceptual- All the other crayons know that he cannot produce a red color even though he is labeled as a red crayon. All the crayons have reasons why he colors red instead of blue.
Structural- Most of the crayons are the same size so the “red” crayon isn’t different in shape and size, but different because he cannot match the color of his label. Just like someone who might be gay may look like other people on the outside, but on the inside, he is different.
Ideology-Accepting people even if they are different. In the book, the “red” crayon kept telling himself that he was red, and all the other crayons made up excuses as to why he couldn’t make the right color. After they all find out that he is actually blue, all the other crayons are very supportive of him.
