ETC: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold and the Purple Crayon was written in 1955 by Crockett Johnson, so if you're reading this then you've likely read it as a kid, or to your kids, or even to your grandkids. The fact that the book has continuously been in print for almost 60 years lets you know that it has staying power. The story follows Harold as he decides to go for a walk at night. It's dark and he draws everything he sees with his purple crayon. In fact, everything in the stories, except for Harold himself comes from his crayon. It's a whimsical story that sees Harold get scared, save himself, get hungry, be kind, explore, and make it home in time to tuck himself in for bed. The kids love it and I love reading it to them.
Crockett Johnson wrote and illustrated a total of seven books about Harold and his adventures. In the edition we have, The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Four Magical Stories, we have the origional Harold and The Purple Crayon as well as Harold's Fairy Tale, Harold's Trip to the Sky, and Harold's Circus. They're all great stories. The books have all been made into animated shorts and they're quite good. The also spawned a follow up cartoon series on TV that wasn't as good. That series spun off some books and they're ok, but not as good as those Mr. Johnson wrote himself. Stick to the originals here.
The Harold books tell simple well told stories about a little boy who is imaginative, self reliant, and very creative. They're truly childhood classics and well worth adding to your bookshelf.