'Harold and the Purple Crayon' is Rated PG—Is It Ok For Younger Kids?

The beloved children's book hits the big screen with all the feels.

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott

Creativity and imagination shape reality in the 1955 children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon, written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson. This classic story centers on Harold, an imaginative 4-year-old boy, and his magic purple crayon, through which he can create the world as he imagines it.

Similarly, the new film version of Harold and the Purple Crayon centers on positive, family-friendly themes. These inspirational themes lend themselves to empowering the imaginations of children and adults, holding on to child-like creativity and ambitions despite our age, and not allowing doubt and fear to prevent one from shaping and coloring their reality in bold, beautiful ways.

As a parent, former educator, and all-around creative with a strong predisposition towards all shades of purple, the Harold and the Purple Crayon children’s book series has always held a special place in my heart. So, I was curious as to whether the newest adaptation of this film would do the book any justice.

All About 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'

For those new to Harold and the Purple Crayon franchise, you must know this live-action movie is a sequel to the book and starts when the adult Harold (Zachary Levi) draws himself off the pages of the book, and into the real world with his two closest friends, Moose (Lil Rel Howery) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds).

Under the direction of Carlos Saldanha, the adaptation does an excellent job of introducing this classic story to a new generation. Still, some scenes with the librarian, Gary Naswich (Jermaine Clement) towards the middle and end of the film are at times a little bazaar for this writer.

However, the onscreen dynamic between Terry (Zooey Deschanel), a single mom, and her tween son, Mel (Benjamin Bottani) will strike a chord with younger teens whose creativity is often misunderstood or overlooked by overworked or parents who are no longer in pursuit of their own dreams.

Levi as Harold brings joy and optimism to his portrayal. It is endearing and helps to move the storyline forward.

“I've definitely tried to foster and hold onto the little kid in me my whole life. I've been very lucky and blessed as an actor because I get to constantly be creative and use my imagination,” Levi tells Parents. “As a human being, I want to bring joy to the world. I love making people happy, smile and laugh. And, Harold is so much about having fun, and adventure. And, those are all the things that I tried to tap into in order to bring into him [his character]."

Levi adds that Harold does have more optimism than he does.

"I try to be as optimistic as possible, but living in the real world, it's tough. And, Harold learns that in the movie," Levi explains. "His boundless optimism is very much challenged.”

Reynolds and Howery bring a light-hearted and comedic element that helps to balance the more serious moments. For example, they encounter some of the harsh realities of being in the real world and have to deal with some adult cynicism. Howery shares with Parents how his belief, creativity, and imagination have shaped his life and success.

“By playing a character like Moose, I get to show children [the power of the imagination], and even my own children get a glimpse into the way I see things most of the time. This is the imagination that I’m walking around with all the time, and I wouldn’t be where I’m at if I didn’t keep doing it [using my imagination],” Howery says.

The Themes of 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'

One of the most pleasant surprises in Harold and the Purple Crayon is while the movie is geared toward children, there are many moments when adults and parents are presented with the opportunity to examine themselves.

Terry is widowed, tired from working long hours, and has lost her mojo as a result of ‘adulting.' But, through her interactions with Harold, and his ability to ‘color’ her world, she begins to reimagine the possibilities of her music career and starts seeing her imaginative son in a new light.

Deschanel candidly shared with Parents that being present and spending quality time with her children helps her keep her creativity fresh and protects her joy while working as a mom in Hollywood. 

“Kids are so creative and imaginative. Just spending time with your kids and talking to them, really opens up your creativity and gets you out of that 'grown-up,' stuck mindset," Deschanel says. "I love spending time with my kids, and going to the movies with my kids is one of my favorite things to do. That to me is such a fun way for everyone to get their imaginations kind of sparked.”

There’s a strong message throughout the movie that many parents and adults unknowingly limit and tarnish the hopes and creativity of their children and teens by being doubtful, dismissive, and at times critical of their kids' imaginations. Yet, the interactions between Harold and Mel showcase the positive impact an open-minded, optimistic, and hopeful adult can have on the confidence and creativity of a kid or teen.

Harold never doubts Mel’s interactions with his imaginary creature and even trusts in Mel enough to at one point give him half of the magic purple crayon. It is Mel who also first recognizes the appearance of Harold’s purple creations once he enters Mel and Terry’s home, and Mel is also the first to truly recognize when Harold is in danger.

There’s a beautiful sentiment about being ‘seen’ when you’re a creative individual. Saldanha does a great job of depicting this through the interactions between Harold and Mel. Despite Terry initially misunderstanding her son’s imagination and liking to Harold, she changes over time.

“Generational trauma and mental illness are real things. And, we have to be graceful with everyone because everyone is a product of their environment," Levi candidly shares. "Our parents, who [many people] wish could have done a better job of encouraging us in our creativity or whatever it is, they were doing the best they could with the tools that they had at the time. But, that doesn't mean that there's not a better way to do it moving forward for all of us, right?”

Harold and the Purple Crayon provides many teachable moments for both adults and kids to talk about ways to set proper boundaries to protect creativity, dreams, and even joy.

When speaking about ways parents could better help their kid’s creativity flourish, Howery offers up the sentiment, “I love seeing that kid at a random restaurant and they’re wearing a random costume that doesn't go with anything else. Nobody else is all dressed up, and there’s just a kid walking around with a full princess-cowboy boot outfit. I love seeing that, because to me [that signifies] that those are parents that are open to their child being creative and using their imagination."

Is 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' Ok For Young Kids?

Overall, Harold and the Purple Crayon is a good watch for kids and adults, alike. The visual effects and the art design are wonderful, and lovers of books and the color purple will be amused. Here's what parents need to know.

Sexual Innuendos

There’s not much sexual innuendo within Harold and the Purple Crayon. Gary, the librarian, has a serious crush on Terry, and there’s a scene towards the end of the movie where there’s some talk of dating.

Mild Violence

There’s some light conflict when Harold’s creations begin to dissipate due to doubt and being misunderstood. There’s occasional chaos when Harold innocently creates things that do not necessarily make sense in the real world. For example, he creates a reality where a little kid is flying in an airplane in a store without realizing that it could damage the store.

Some moments may frighten smaller kids when creative power gets into the wrong hands. For example, Gary the Librarian becomes obsessed with power and makes unwise choices when he gets control of the purple magic crayon.

Mild Language and Themes

There’s no offensive language throughout the movie, and there aren't any negative stereotypes portrayed. However, there is some bullying in a school setting that provides a wonderful opportunity for discussing this topic with school-age kids.

For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Parents.