The Lafayette County Literacy Council is partnering with area schools to bring the #1 New York Times Bestseller, The Day The Crayons Quit, to life for area first graders on March 19-27.
As part of the Young Authors Fair hosted by the Oxford Conference for the Book, author Drew Daywalt will speak to first graders from Bramlett Elementary School and Lafayette Elementary School on Thursday, March 27, at The Gertrude Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
The week before, The Literacy Council is delivering 650 copies of The Day the Crayons Quit to the schools so that each child can have his or her own copy. The books include a bookmark with information about the program and ways parents can use the book to encourage their child to read. On March 19 and 20, a week of school activities planned around the book will be kicked off by Lafayette County Literacy Council volunteers, who will put on a parade and read the book to classes.
“This event is a great example of what happens when local groups work together,” says Meridith Wulff, director of the Lafayette County Literacy Council.
“Both local school districts are committed to doing everything possible to spark a love of reading in our children. Thanks to this partnership between the Literacy Council, the schools, the Book Conference and others in the community, we’re able to give every first grader a copy of this extraordinary book, incorporate it in fun and engaging ways into the curriculum, and then provide the kids with the rare opportunity to hear the author speak and answer their questions.”
The Day the Crayons Quit, now a #1 New York Times Bestseller, tells the story of poor Duncan, who just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough and they quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon.
Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?
For more information about the Lafayette County Literacy Council’s programs, visit www.lafayetteliteracy.org. For more information about the Oxford Conference for the Book, visit oxfordconferenceforthebook.com.
– Meridith Wulff, Lafayette County Literacy Council Director, lafayetteliteracy@gmail.com, 662-234-4234
– Becca Walton, Oxford Conference for the Book, rwalton@olemiss.edu, 662-915-5993
