Sidewalk Chalk and Kids Books

Long before lockdown caused a massive run on it, chalk has been a staple in our household. I have gifted it plenty of times because I have seen how much fun kids have with the freedom of a canvas as large as a driveway, sidewalk or road (we live on a very quiet street).

We have used chalk to draw flowers, rainbows, clouds, fruit, the list goes on. We have mapped out a traffic school for bikes and scooters. We have created giant ‘obstacle’ courses with different movements, like skip, sprint, bear crawl, roll and frog jump. We have written words of encouragement to neighbours and the kids have practiced writing their names. They also love it when I trace around them doing different poses and they get to ‘dress’ themselves.

Chalk on its own is not a very expensive gift, and while I don’t advocate spending money just for the sake of it, I do allow a budget of between $30 and $40 for consistency. Chalk is such an open-ended experience and almost any book can be paired with it, however below I’ve made some suggestions of chalk-related books that we’ve enjoyed in the past that would pair nicely with a new box of chalk.

The Case of the Missing Chalk Drawings, by Richard Byrne

Ideal for a pre-school or early primary school demographic, this picture book is a simplified who-dun-it involving chalk characters. Their drawings keep disappearing, so the chalk police guy is called in to solve the case. Suspects are examined but only one is covered in chalk dust. My younger kids really liked it, perhaps it was because of the colours or maybe the clever ending.

Chalk Boy, by Margret Wild and Mandy Ord

For a similar demographic, but a little edgier, this picture book sees a man, Barnaby, draw a boy from chalk on the pavement of a busy city. Early on Chalk Boy goes through a process of self-awareness and actualisation only to come to the understanding that once the rain comes he will wash away. The simple and kind ending is memorable for young readers. This one might help them create their own chalk-drawn characters.

Chalk, by Bill Thomson

I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but a wordless picture book is a great device for bonding with kids and promoting visual literacy. Because there are no words that prescribe what must be said, anyone can become a storyteller. Set in a playground, three children find some chalk and decide to begin drawing. After drawing a sun, the sunshine breaks through the clouds. After drawing butterflies they come to life. Inspired by the play equipment, one boy draws a dinosaur and the children find themselves at risk. Quick thinking and the chalk get them out of danger.

Matilda, by Roald Dahl

This is truly a classic, I hope every home has a copy. We have done it as a family read-aloud a couple of times now and I still really enjoy it. The last time we read it I’d forgotten about the clever line from one of the children after Miss Trunchbull swings Amanda Thripp over the fence by her pigtails: “Well thrown, sir!” It cracked me up all over again.

Those not familiar with the story might be wondering why I would suggest this as a companion for a box of chalk, but chalk is Matilda’s weapon of choice when she decides to take The Trunchbull down. A humble stick of chalk becomes a symbol for the power of the downtrodden and vulnerable who want to stand up to oppression and, dare I say, evil. Matilda had the smarts and power to change her world, all she needed was chalk.