When Pencil Met The Markers runs with energy and fun for ages 4 and up

Celebrate the weird, embrace the relentlessly happy and color outside of the lines. That sounds like an alternate catchphrase from The Magic School Bus. In reality, it’s a phrase that perfectly embodies When Pencil Met The Markers. When Pencil Met The Markers manages to hit all of these hallmarks in an illustrated book that could’ve been as effective as a peach marker trying to write on a polyurethaned table.  Instead, the book delivers a joyous story that any kid will enjoy.

The concept of coloring outside the lines is the stuff of classic childhood memories. It’s a metaphor that translates far beyond school ages to describe rogue employees who might not fill in their expense reports in a timely manner. When Pencil Met The Markers takes that premise and happily gives emerging readers an illustrated tour with the markers. It’s the standard pack of eight markers with purple ending up with the short end of the stick.

It tries to color but always ends up doing so outside of the lines or by coloring something that it otherwise shouldn’t be. An ice cream sundae isn’t all purple, but it dives headfirst into the task and scribbles all outside of the lines. It continues to do so with all sorts of things that would never see purple unless it’s located in Prince’s estate.

The other markers give him some constructive criticism, but he gleefully ignores them. Finally, when it’s time to get back in the box the other markers suggest that he’s not a good fit. This puts purple on a path all its own where he meets pencil. The two try to create art together, with pencil trying to erase purple’s manic lines. That doesn’t work out so well.

They two try it the other way around with purple coloring splotches here and there, wit pencil then giving it borders. To their surprise the drawing work and they’re having a blast doing them. They’re having so much fun that they attract the attention of the other markers who want to get in on the action. It all culminates with pencil and the entire collection of markers making huge action pieces that combine bigger pictures than any of them had ever imagined. However, in the corner are a handful of crayons that are either looking for trouble or to add to the imagination.

Even our 10-year-old enjoyed reading When Pencil Met The Markers. It’s an incredibly fun book that will really speak to those emerging readers aged four through eight. However, as demonstrated by our oldest son, it’s a fun book that older kids will enjoy thumbing through also. This is a great good-night book that features brevity of words set against large illustrations. You can take your time and read the book once or read it twice, allowing your young reader to learn the sight words or practice saying the pictures.

The book also softly teaches a lesson about working together and accepting the different talents that we each bring to the table. This is one of those books that isn’t guaranteed a place in your forever library but might sneak in there and you’ll be OK with it.

When Pencil Met The Markers is by Karen Kilpatrick and Luis O. Ramos. Jr. with illustration by German Blanco and is on Imprint Reads, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group.

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