First performed by Sandy Stewart in 1962 on the television program The Perry Como Kraft Music Hall, she was one of the first artists to record the work in 1962 when it was released as a single.

[3] Ballard brought the song to the producers of the television show The Perry Como Kraft Music Hall with whom she was a regular performer.

[5] The producers were not open to having Ballard sing the song because they felt she was a comedian and not a singer who could effectively deliver more serious material.

The producers of The Perry Como Kraft Music Hall had Sandy Stewart perform the premiere of the song on the October 31, 1962 broadcast of the television program.

Charles Sinclair in Billboard wrote "One of the sharpest record duels in recent weeks is shaping up over the season's prettiest new ballad — a timely John Kander-Fred Ebb tune called "My Coloring Book."

[13] Streisand heard Stewart perform My Coloring Book on Perry Como's show, and she called Kander and Ebb the day after to ask them if she could record the song.

[15] This release did not sell well, and the 1962 recordings of "My Coloring Book" by Sandy Stewart and Kitty Kallen both were more financially profitable that Streisand's version.