Caramel reviews The Day The Crayons Made Friends by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

Today Caramel reviews a brand new picture book, The Day The Crayons Made Friends, written by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, and published in 2025. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, what are we talking about today?

Caramel: We are talking about another Crayon book! Remember we reviewed The Crayons’ Christmas, one of the earlier books all the way back in 2020? This is a brand new book about the Crayons, so I had to read and review it! 

S: Yeah, I was excited too, to see this new one. Both you and Marshmallow have read and loved the first couple of Crayon books about Duncan’s crayons: The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day The Crayons Came Home. Those were written in 2013 and 2015 and both of you were so tiny! Then apparently there were several other Crayon books about Halloween, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and so on. And you reviewed the one for Christmas. But this one seems like a really new adventure, just published this year! 

C:Yes, and I am all ready to talk about it. 

S: Great! So tell us a bit about this one. What is up with Duncan’s crayons this time?

C: They found friends, and they are writing back to Duncan about their experiences away.

S: Wait, so they are no longer in Duncan’s house? 

C: No, they are just not together in their box anymore. They are in different parts of the house exploring.  

S: That sounds cool! And they are again writing letters, like they did in the earlier books, right? 

C: Yeah, it’s kinda cool that they are writing to him. I wish my crayons and pens and toys wrote to me… 

S: I know, right? 

C: Yeah, it would be really cool! But then again, I’d feel bad using them.

S: I see what you mean. If they prefer to travel around the house and write about their adventures, maybe when you use them, they would wear out. But maybe not. Maybe they also would like you, like the Crayons like Duncan, and they would like to occasionally play with you and help you create fun pictures and colorful drawings and such. 

C: True, that is a good way of thinking about it.

S: So tell me a bit about the kinds of adventures they are having. The title seems to say that they are meeting new beings and making friends with them. 

C: Yep, all of the notes are from the crayons saying how they met their friends, and how they’re doing. For example, here is what the Beige Crayon wrote:

My dearest Duncan,

I have discovered my calling … under your fridge! I found a flock of dog biscuits that were lost and afraid. I built a small cottage and now tend to them. It’s a simple, quiet life. But fulfilling, nonetheless. And Leslie here is expecting! I look forward to showing you her pups.

Your humble shepherd, 

Beige Crayon

S: That is pretty cool! So these Crayons have been gone for quite some time. Maybe it is like when you lose your pens or pencils or crayons and end up getting new ones, but you know the old ones are out there somewhere. Maybe they are having adventures of their own and that is why we never find them! 

C: Yeah, maybe they don’t want to be found!

S: I bet this happens to random single socks too! There are so many unpaired socks in my sock drawer — their partners must be out there adventuring! 

C: Same here!

S: Oh, so that is why you always wear mismatching socks! I just stop wearing them, hoping one day their partners will show up. But maybe I should give up.

C: You never know. Maybe one day they will come back, ready to settle down. 

S: Or maybe at some point, I, too, will start receiving letters … from missing socks! 

C: I think that could be fun. I would also like to receive a letter from my missing pencil I lost in third grade. I really liked it and was very sad when it disappeared. But if it is still out there and is just having too much fun to write to me, maybe that is alright. 

S: Yes, maybe we can let go and just be happy they are enjoying their lives, right? 

C: Yeah, I hope they are. But a letter would be nice. Just saying. Maybe, “I’m in your closet, please get me.” Or something. Anything.

S: I hear you. Maybe they will, too. Anyways, it definitely seems like you really enjoyed reading a new Crayon book. 

C: Yep! It is just as fun as the other Crayon books. The pictures are just as pretty, and they fit the book really well; they look like they were drawn using crayons!

S: Yeah, I like the way these books look, too. Okay, maybe it is time to wrap up this review then. What would you like to tell our readers? 

C: Stay tuned for more book bunnies reviews!