REMEMBER THE SMELL OF BRAND-NEW CRAYONS?
And with it the immediate sensory memory of feeling a smooth crayon in your hand?
And who doesn’t remember? (granted, some people won’t)
. . . the time Mr. Rogers took us to the Crayola factory and showed us how crayons are made? Remember how fun it was to watch the process and hear all those machines robotically “ker-chunking” in synchronized rhythm? And then the moment of watching the machine exude the hardened wax as perfectly formed crayons popped out of their molds?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
I was the mother of a 3-year-old when that episode aired, and I recall the intrigue and wonder I felt. I appreciated it more than my daughter, of course. She was still too little to feel the awe of a smooth crayon in her hand and or entertain the curiosity of how it was made. If inclined, you can watch that episode here:
So, speaking of crayons . . .
Not too long ago I talked about a few of my favorite fiction picture books. Today I want to talk about a non-fiction favorite: “THE CRAYON MAN The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons” written by Natascha Biebow and illustrated by Steven Salerno. It’s the story of Edwin Binney, who with his cousin, C. Harold Smith, invented the Crayola crayon in 1903. Besides being gorgeously illustrated, it’s a super cool biography full of fun facts and leaves readers asking, “Where would we be today without crayons?” I mean - really. Can you even imagine it? Crayons have been an essential part of childhood for 121 years. Phenomenal!
Biebow shares with readers the early days of the invention, what drove the pursuit of improvement over the chalk that was used in classrooms in the late 19th century, and the reason behind Binney’s persistence to satisfy children’s innate need for color. (Interesting that long before psychologists identified this demand of a developing brain, Edwin Binney already intuitively understood the benefits of this tool for children.)
Photo: Courtesy of the Author, https://www.nataschabiebow.com/
Biebow also shares that Edwin Binney’s wife, who was a schoolteacher, is the genius behind the colored wax stick’s name - “Crayola.” Not only had the company created a new product, it coined a brand-new word. “Craie,” which in French means “stick of chalk” and “ola” from the word “oleaginous,” which means oily, like the texture of crayon wax- the all important component that makes a crayon a crayon!
In the beginning, the company started with the primary and secondary colors of the color wheel, but across the span of twelve decades the company has adjusted formulas and invented many new colors. Over 400 colors have been created in the past 121 years. Those no longer in use have been retired to the Crayola Hall of Fame. And did you know that there are crayon collectors in the world who are on the look-out for the rare and discontinued colors?
Currently, 120 colors are available, not including specialty boxes like Silver Swirls, Florescent, Pearl, Metallic, Neon, Magic Scent, Glitter, and my favorite just because it makes me laugh – Silly Scents, sporting odors like Gargoyle Gas, Booger Buster, and Sasquatch Socks.
And the names of crayons! Honestly, some of them are delicious! Pink Flamingo, Jazzberry Jam, Cornflower, Venetian Red, Tropical Rain Forest, Mango Tango - I get goose bumps just thinking about picking up a crayon, fondling it, letting its name roll around on my tongue and infuse me with excitement to touch it to a piece of paper. It’s complete magic!
Because I feel like bragging, a couple of years ago I had the thrill of getting to meet Natascha Biebow at an SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) gathering in NYC. So her book was already a wild success, but as a citizen of the UK, she had just been awarded the MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth for her services to children’s writers and illustrators. I was a little awestruck, to say the least.
If you would like to read more about this fascinating topic, here are the links to an interesting article and a YouTube video.
