Harold's Trip to the Sky

Harold #3

by Crockett Johnson

Nursery-science fiction tale of Harold's drawing his way to the planet Mars

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Art, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Space

64 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Crockett Johnson was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip Barnaby (1942–1952) and the Harold series of books beginning with Harold and the Purple Crayon. [From Wikipedia.]

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

That creative toddler Harold, who drew his own adventures into being in his first two titles, Harold and the Purple Crayon and Harold's Fairy Tale , returns in this third book devoted to his doings, setting out one dark night on a voyage into space. Overshooting his mark, and missing the moon, Harold lands on Mars instead and, feeling rather lonely in the dark and cold, draws a martian for company. Soon frightened by his own creation, Harold sabotages the martian's flying saucer, before drawing himself a shooting star to ride home...

Every bit as enjoyable as its predecessors, with the same simplicity of story and spareness of artwork - there's just Harold himself, in his blue pajamas, and the purple lines created by his crayon - Harold's Trip to the Sky is a worthy follow up to Crockett Johnson's first two titles about a young boy who creates his own kind of magic, using just his crayon and his imagination. I appreciated the changing color of the paper itself here - white was used in the scenes on earth, while dark brown was used in the space scenes - and I got a chuckle out of some of the story developments. Lines like "Then he remembered how the government has fun on the desert. It shoots off rockets," (and the theme of martians) place the book in a particular historical context, but it's nothing so extreme that contemporary children won't be able to appreciate the story on its own merits, as an imaginary journey to the stars.

[J9 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5 yr old son is starting to love everything science, and so this is one of his personal favorite Harold books. From rocket ships to the planet Mars, from shooting stars to aliens, you have it all in this exciting Sci-fi story that Harold finds himself drawn in. It's enjoyed by all my children, no matter the age, including me, as I love to read them to the kids. I'd put them somewhere between a level 1 and level 2 reading level, which is perfect for my 5 yr old who is starting to read on his own, and loves these so much, can read them by himself easily. These are a great addition to any Harold and the Purple Crayon collection!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my little boy's Favorite of the Harold books. Probably because it's got a rocket in it.

It's a little spookier than the others, (which isn't saying much, as the others aren't scary at all) I mention this because my oldest boy went through a phase where a lot of things were scary to him, and this one was still in his comfort zone during that, while still being a little bit titillating to him.

[Sonya Feher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it's just because I grew up near Los Alamos, NM, but I totally love Harold's remembering how the government has fun in the desert. My son loves to tell me the story as I turn the pages. He especially likes to say, "damaging crack" and "Harold ran." He laughs out loud every time we find out that the bowl of oatmeal is not a flying saucer. Harold's Trip to the Sky may be more fun than the original story.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is truly bizarre. My son loves Harold, and loves the moon, so I was delighted to find this book. But, when I read it, I was shocked by the Cold War era references in it. While walking in the desert, Harold gets bored, and tries to think of something to do. "Then he remembered how the government has fun in the desert. It shoots off rockets!" Never did I think nuclear testing would make its way into my bedtime story sessions with a 3 year old. So weird.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite series of books as a young beginning reader. My imagination was a lot like Harold's I just didn't have the crayon to make things happen. If you have kids or grand-kids these are a great set of book to introduce them to the world of reading. Highly recommended.

[Fjóla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Harold's creativity, although the story line in this book is a tad odd. It opens with a conversation about the dark, but I'm not sure what the purpose of it it is. Such as: Harold "made sure there was a moon so he wouldn't see things in the dark"?!? "He wondered about the things people see in the dark, and where they came from."
"Then he remembered how the government has fun in the desert." Considering when this book was published, makes me wonder what the author could have been smoking? Parts of the book are a little spooky. It's still a fun book to read together, but the original Harold and the Purple Crayon is way better.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was our first encounter with Harold and his purple crayon. I like the concept quite a lot although some of the storytime is a little bizarre - governments test rockets in the desert, flying saucers are scary.
We read it as a bedtime story so I read it in the most funny way possible in the hope it didn't scare my daughter and she then couldn't stop laughing!

[Cristina Di Matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un piccolo viaggio pieno di meraviglia e immaginazione. Con il suo inconfondibile gessetto viola, Harold trasforma il cielo in un mondo di scoperte e sogni. Una storia semplice e incantevole che celebra la fantasia senza limiti dell’infanzia.

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold is at it again with his crayon, having adventures in the sky and on Mars, riding falling stars back to Earth.

[Maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a clever and imaginative little book!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold decides he wants a drink of water. This leads him and his purple crayon on a fantastic venture from a desert to the planet Mars.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got the book 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich. Page 416 recommended Harold and the Purple Crayon which was not available at my library so read this one (1957) and Harold's Circus (1959). I do remember Harold so was intrigued enough to investigate. Preferred Trip to the Sky over the Circus. Neither captivated me enough to see why on best books but I did like a few lines from this book enough to snap them, "He was on Mars. Harold had heard of men on Mars. So he yelled a couple of hellos, hopefully." Also, "But there isn't much to else to do in a desert, Harold realized as he looked around, except maybe play in the sand. Then he remembered how the government has fun on the desert. It shoots off rockets."...that last one cracked me up!

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last of the Purple Crayon Adventures for me to read.
The half moon is there, to see, in the dark. He decides to travel to the moon. His big rocket missed, so he must navigate by the stars, planets, and comets. He sees a flying saucer, before he lands; on Mars. He meets a 'man of Mars', it scared him. He ran away, climbing down the stars; it was slow, and the points hurt his feet. He jumped aboard a shooting star. When he lands, the sun is coming up, just in time for his favorite breakfast of oatmeal.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

In which Harold gets up for a drink of water, finds himself in a desert, boards a rocket ship, misses the moon, lands on Mars, experiences the magic of gravity, is spooked by a night creature who emerges from a flying saucer, makes a quick exist, faces his fears to save our planet from the alien creature by cracking his saucer, takes a shortcut home by riding a shooting star, and is home by sunrise.

Children give this story rapt attention.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some werid/odd phrasing in this book that can leave a reader confused. However, overall, it is a fun and creative Harold book. It has most of the elements of the first/original Harold book whle tackling a different area. I love that the author did this so skillfully as Harold has to hold on to certain traits, characteristics, etc or the book wouldn't hold the same fun appeal.

[Skylar Burris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my daughter's favorite Harold book. What I like about the Harold books is that the language is not at all dumbed down; it uses excellent vocabulary, but it is still somehow accessible to young kids who delight in the imaginative stories.

[Elizabeth]

interesting commentary on the government: “But there isn’t much else to do on a desert, Harold realized as he looked around, except maybe play in the sand. Then he remembered how the government has fun on the desert. It shoots off rockets.”

[Joshua's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our least favorite Harold book so far but still really fun. I don't think it is for those who are too young to be scared of the dark (because this might make them scared of the dark) and maybe not for some children who are currently scared of the dark.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this would be a continuation on the classic "Harold and the Purple Crayon" but was sorely disappointed. The book didn't hold my kids interest whatsoever, and the storyline was not captivating in the least.

[Megan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOTH of my kids are MAJOR fans of Harold and his magical purple crayon. This was was my least favorite so far. It was still good, worth a read.

[Deana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Harold's adventures! They're so simple and fun!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little boy and his crayon go on a great adventure to outer space, but find there is no place like home

[Katy Brandes · Rating 3 out of 5]

We love Crockett Johnson's stories of Harold's adventures, but this one was kind of random in its direction. So it's not one of our favorites. Still very cute, though.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Harold and the Purple Crayon!

[WSL Library]

x2

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good at his other crayon adventures

[Anna]

The 6 1/2 year old rates this "4 stars"

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there life on Mars?
Find out in this delightful story of Harold and a rocket by Johnson, Crockett.