A biography of the book that inspired Prince to adopt purple as his signature color, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Richard Powers to become a writer, and countless other creative people to become artists.A primer on the art and design of children''s picture books, renowned children''s literature scholar Philip Nel takes the reader on an illustrated tour through all that made Crockett Johnson''s Harold and the Purple Crayon an astonishing success: from Harold''s clear line, Johnson''s carefully planned improvisation, the Garamond typeface, the real -Harolds- who inspired the title character, how Johnson overcame his editor''s initially lukewarm reaction, to the role of the book''s three colors (purple, brown, white), and whether or not the tan-hued Harold himself is a child of color. In a series of microhistories that ripple outward from Harold and the Purple Crayon, 30 brief chapters explore the big ideas behind this small book. Johnson''s classic raises questions about the nature of r
