Can you imagine scraping pictures onto the walls of a fire-lit cave using a small, sharp stone? How about carving symbols into a beeswax-filled wooden tablet using a sharpened piece of metal or bone? No longer needing to fill a goose feather with ink to capture our thoughts on paper (although I think that sounds fun), we can use the coniferous wood and graphite of the standard yellow pencil.
For school-aged kids, pencils may seem kinda dull. What’s so special about something you use every day? I think pencils are magical, actually. Think about all the future writers, illustrators and animators journaling or doodling in notebooks or the margins of their homework; who nurture big dreams and later go on to create wonderful chapter books, graphic novels, television shows and movies. In celebration of pencils as vehicles of creativity, check out the books featured below!
“Malala’s Magic Pencil” by Malala Yousafzai, illustrated by Kerascoët
As a young child in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai dreamed of having a magic pencil to create peace in the world and erase suffering. When she was only ten years old, she began speaking out for girls to have the same educational rights as boys. Living under Taliban rule posed threats, but Malala was not afraid. This reflective, auto-biographical picture book chronicles Malala’s journey to becoming an international activist for universal education, earning her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 (awarded when she was only seventeen!).
“Linus the Little Yellow Pencil” by Scott Magoon
In anticipation of his family’s annual art show, Linus the pencil is plagued with self-doubt. His inner critic Ernie (the eraser) is causing Linus to question his artistic ability, so he seeks refuge in a nearby cave (the pencil sharpener). Inside, Linus is greeted by a divine figure named Smudge — a collection of pencil shavings that represents his ancestors. Smudge counsels Linus to let go of others’ expectations and to “find your path by drawing it.” Sharpened with purpose, he emerges from the cave to create wildly and joyfully with Ernie by his side. With boldly colorful, energetic illustrations and a strong message, this story has a lot of heART!
“When Pencil Met Eraser” by Karen Kilpatrick
This fan-favorite, enemies-to-friends tale features a headstrong artist (Pencil) who is reluctant at first to let an easygoing dreamer (Eraser) play any part in his illustrations. As an uninvited co-creator, Eraser reveals the sky on a crowded cityscape, a path through a dense meadow, and calm waters on a stormy sea. Eventually, Pencil realizes Eraser is his natural teammate — the yin to his yang. With minimal but meaningful text and inventive pictures that mimic an artist’s sketchpad, this charming story makes for a great read-aloud!
“Perfect” by Max Amato
The roles and personalities of the main characters are nearly reversed in this next pick. Over-serious, perfectionist Eraser pairs up with playful, fun-loving Pencil in a game of cat-and-mouse that is largely told through wordless, action-packed illustrations. After being gently teased by Pencil, Eraser finally joins in the fun. He transforms a darkly drawn forest into an outer space scene and gleefully rides a rocketship onto the next page. By the end, the two are best buds in this hilarious story that celebrates collaboration and creativity.
“Me and My Pencil” by Sara Varon
This story within a story follows illustrator and graphic novelist Sara Varon as she and her trusty pencil (and beloved pet dog) team up to write an imaginative story. Using comic-book style visual elements, Sara takes the reader on a journey inside the creative process — from developing an idea, choosing a plot and characters and deciding on a conflict and resolution. This all unfolds alongside the second, “nested” story: Sara’s real and imaginary friends are playing baseball when her pencil breaks and the game really heats up. I’d recommend this book for aspiring young artists and writers who may need a little confidence boost!
✏️ Let the celebration continue! ✏️
