Sienna looks forward to drawing a picture for her school’s spring art show, until she ends up with the last two crayons …
By the time Sienna arrives at the art table in her classroom, all the crayons are gone except dark brown and light brown. Now how can she make a special picture for the art show? Andy teases that all she’ll be able to draw is mud and dog poop. Her teacher tries to cheer her up, telling her that lots of wonderful things are brown. So Sienna imagines some of her favorite things — her grandma’s rose garden, her new bicycle, rainbows — but none of them are brown! Her friends remind her that chocolate ice cream is brown, and so is the grizzly bear at the zoo. Sienna draws both, with the help of her friends, but neither picture seems special enough. In the end, inspired by an early memory, Sienna comes up with her own idea for a drawing that’s perfect for the art show.
The Last Two Crayons looks at the beautiful world of brown, with a heartwarming and empowering ending that celebrates diversity, creativity and family.
Key Text Features
dialogue
illustrations
vignettes
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
Sienna looks forward to drawing a picture for her school’s spring art show, until she ends up with the last two crayons …
By the time Sienna arrives at the art table in her classroom, all the crayons are gone except dark brown and light brown. Now how can she make a special picture for the art show? Andy teases that all she’ll be able to draw is mud and dog poop. Her teacher tries to cheer her up, telling her that lots of wonderful things are brown. So Sienna imagines some of her favorite things — her grandma’s rose garden, her new bicycle, rainbows — but none of them are brown! Her friends remind her that chocolate ice cream is brown, and so is the grizzly bear at the zoo. Sienna draws both, with the help of her friends, but neither picture seems special enough. In the end, inspired by an early memory, Sienna comes up with her own idea for a drawing that’s perfect for the art show.
The Last Two Crayons looks at the beautiful world of brown, with a heartwarming and empowering ending that celebrates diversity, creativity and family.
Key Text Features
dialogue
illustrations
vignettes
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Apr 4, 2023 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 8.375 in x 9.75 in |
| Keywords | art therapy; Black Is Beautiful; teamwork; working together; art class; art show; colors; teasing; classroom; adapting; creativity; helping others; inclusivity; cooperation; children's art; imagination and play; memories; self awareness; self esteem; teaching; Brown Is a Beautiful Color; Black Is a Rainbow Color; Hair Love; |
|
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Guide |
| Written By |
LEAH FREEMAN-HASKIN is a debut children’s book author, a content creator and the founder of BLK Oceans, a website dedicated to promoting Black-owned businesses. As a child, she was inspired by a picture book to see beauty in the color brown, which helped change her perspective on her own sense of beauty and self-acceptance. Leah lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and two young sons. |
| Illustrated by |
SHANTALA ROBINSON is an illustrator, graphic designer and fine artist whose art is inspired by both her urban and natural surroundings. She lives in New Westminster, British Columbia, with her partner and two young children. |
| Written By |
|
LEAH FREEMAN-HASKIN is a debut children’s book author, a content creator and the founder of BLK Oceans, a website dedicated to promoting Black-owned businesses. As a child, she was inspired by a picture book to see beauty in the color brown, which helped change her perspective on her own sense of beauty and self-acceptance. Leah lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and two young sons. |
| Illustrated by |
|
SHANTALA ROBINSON is an illustrator, graphic designer and fine artist whose art is inspired by both her urban and natural surroundings. She lives in New Westminster, British Columbia, with her partner and two young children. |
| Audience | ages 3 and up / grades P and up |
| Key Text Features | dialogue; illustrations; vignettes |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 |
Winner, Ontario Library Association Best Bets, 2024
A sensitive and age-appropriate tale to spark conversations about skin color.
” —KirkusTold through a relatable art class activity with child-friendly vocabulary, this is a good book to celebrate diversity, coming together, and feeling good about who one is.
” —CLCD Children's LiteratureThis is a gentle and affirming picture book about self-acceptance and the importance of family.
” —School Library ConnectionA heartwarming picture book [that] champions diversity while still remaining grounded, realistic and joyful.
” —CM: Canadian Review of MaterialsA charming debut, accompanied by warm, welcoming illustrations, sure to set off conversations about the language of color and the inclusion of every hue.
” —School Library JournalThis is a delightful, inspiring book for first readers … The illustrations … are cute, colourful and extra-large, adding cheerful notes to the text.
” —Winnipeg Free Press