Andrew Draws

June 30, 2014
With understated, almost reportorial watercolors and prose, McPhail (Bad Dog) offers a marvelous portrait of the artist as a very, very young man. “What a pretty flower!” says Andrew’s mother when presented with one of the first drawings Andrew makes after finding a crayon under the sofa. “It’s a dog,” says Andrew, coolly undeterred—as all great artists are—by a clueless, if well-meaning, public. Andrew’s creative drive proves unrelenting (and so is his hair, which streams behind him like the coif of a vintage hood ornament), but he’s always fully in control of his muse, which should make him irresistible to an age group that yearns to be seen as competent and confident. When the story takes a magical turn at its midpoint, and Andrew discovers that he can actually solve “the many problems in the world” through his drawings (he does so at the behest of none other than the president), his calm, focused demeanor makes him all the more heroic. Ages 4–8. Agent: Faith Hamlin, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

A young boy discovers he can work magic with his drawings.It all starts when Andrew finds a crayon under the sofa. First, he gives it a test drive by scribbling on the floor until his mother tells him to stop, and his grandmother comes to the rescue with a thick pile of paper. Soon, it's clear that drawing's become a passion; he's never without his crayon and paper, keeping them with him even in the bath and while sitting on the toilet. Next he goes out to sketch the world, drawing animals at the zoo and copying his favorite paintings at the art museum. Then-a miracle: One day he draws a picture of a bird for his grandmother, and it flies off the page and lands on her shoulder. He bestows gifts on his family, drawing a cat for his mother and a comfy chair for his father. When word of his talent reaches the White House, the president calls to enlist Andrew's help. Soon trucks are en route to the hungry, and schools and hospitals are sent flying by paper airplane to where they are needed. Finally, with one sheet of paper left and only a stub of the crayon, Andrew finally draws something just for himself. Is the magic in the crayon, or is it Andrew? The story and its wild-haired protagonist are simply charming, and its lovely watercolor-and-line illustrations are sure to spark readers' imaginations.Inspiring. (Picture book. 5-8) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-Andrew finds a crayon under the sofa and his grandmother gives him paper, so he begins to draw and draw. Slowly he learns how to make his pictures look real, until the subjects begin to leap off the page. When the president asks the boy to help the world, he draws images of trucks loaded with food for the world's hungry people, as well as pictures of schools and hospitals. Then, with the very last bit of crayon, he draws something for himself: a puppy. McPhail's endearing ink and watercolor illustrations and brief text create a small, cozy book for one-on-one sharing. It would also be an ideal book to use with small groups to prompt thoughtful discussions on "what would you draw for the world if you had Andrew's gift?"-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2014
Preschool-G McPhail celebrates the power of the pen in this imaginary tale of a crayon's superpowers. After Andrew's drawing of a parrot appears as a live avian on his grandmother's shoulder, he produces a cat for his mother, and a big soft chair for his father. As Andrew's reputation spreads, the president calls, requesting pictures for solutions to the world's problems: trucks of food for the hungry peoples of the world, boatloads of supplies for flood victims, new schools and hospitals for countries without them. Finally Andrew's crayon is down to a stub, and with one last picture, Andrew draws something for himself: an affectionate puppy of his very own. McPhail's artwork explodes with joy in pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations bursting with enthusiasm for the small boy's masterpieces. Andrew himself, a porcupine-haired charmer in a striped T-shirt, is a lovable creator of a better world for all of us. Reminiscent of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon, the story leaves children thinking about what they would draw if given a magical crayon of their own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)