What child doesn't love to hold a crayon in their hands? But before Edwin Binney set out to change things, children couldn't really even draw in color. Here’s the true story of the inventor who so loved nature’s vibrant colors that he found a way to bring the outside world to children – in a bright green box for only a nickel! Discover how Binney and his team at Crayola created one of the world’s most enduring, best-loved toys – empowering children to dream and draw in COLOR!

“A colorful addition to the shelves of picture books about inventors and inventions and all things STEAM” --School Library Journal

"This Natascha Biebow lady KNOWS how to pen a really good picture book biography" - Betsy Bird, SLJ Fuse # 8

WINNER of the Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Best STEM Book 2020

Best 2019 Picture Book Biography selection - Betsy Bird, Fuse # 8

Best 2019 Nonfiction Picture Books

Editors' Pick Best Nonfiction for kids and bestseller on Amazon.com

I love to get kids fired up about true stories, using their imaginations and believing in themselves as future inventors and creators. Binney's story is a great springboard for exploring nature, inventions, STEAM, color and getting creative.

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"Natascha visited us at the International School of Panama to share her wonderful book, "The Crayon Man." During the planning stages of her visit she was very flexible, professional, and easy to work with. On the day of her presentation she shared details of her life, her writing process, and the history of crayons. For our students it was an amazing opportunity to hear a real author talk about writing the book from the original idea, through drafting, finding an illustrator, publishing, and celebrating her book. Student participation was greatly encouraged and students were able to ask any question they wanted to a real live author! She answered their questions very well. This was a great opportunity for our students to experience the writing process, meet learning goals, and fun while doing it. Thank you, Natascha!" – Brendan McCabe