The hundreds of inanimate objects in our lives from cars to refrigerators to headphones to lamps must get really fed up with the ways we treat them. Think of things you got years ago that are now stored out of sight in boxes in the attic. Imagine how they feel. Then remember the times that your car would not start and out of anger you kicked the tires? What we forget is our machines break down, run down, and just plain get tired of how things are.

These thoughts and observations came to mind while we were enjoying the immensely touching and entertaining The Day the Crayons Quit by writer Drew Daywalt and illustrator Oliver Jeffers. One day in class, Duncan opens his crayon box and finds a stack of letters from the unhappy crayons inside who have some grievances to express..\

Red is upset over having to work so hard, especially on holidays. Beige is tired of getting no respect. Grey would like a break from coloring very large animals. Black wants to do more than outline shapes. Orange and Yellow are arguing over which color is best for the sun. Pink complains about never getting a chance to color anything. Blue is worn down to a stub from being used so much.

Can Duncan find a way to make all the crayons happy? It is certainly worth a try. They deserve more attention and loving care, as do all our inanimate objects!