Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Japanese author and illustrator Yoshitake (Still Stuck) zeroes in on a ubiquitous childhood experience and probes it with dry wit. The creator's human figures draw smiles from the get-go as a boy sprawls on the couch, dead bored: "My toys are boring. There's nothing to watch on TV." His mind wanders: "Why am I bored? What does 'boring' mean, anyway?" In vignettes and multistage spreads, the boy considers the many permutations of ennui. "I wonder what the world's most boring amusement part is like," the boy says, as Yoshitake shows children in an advanced state of stupor shuffling through a park ("The Ferris wheel is low. The roller coaster is slow. Most of the rides are closed for repairs"). Is everything either fun or boring, or is there something in between, "like when I'm peeling a hard-boiled egg"? Just don't ask the adults about being bored. Their replies are... dull. The uncredited translation conveys the book's humor, though the warm, handwritten text of the original is swapped out for chilly printed type. Alive to paradox, Yoshitake demonstrates that talking about what's boring can be a lot of fun. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A fluffy-haired boy says the commonly heard childhood phrase, "I'm bored." Mom is busy, so he wonders to himself just what makes things boring. Why is he bored? What does boring actually mean? He imagines boring situations, parks with no playgrounds and such. While pondering the concept of boringness, he discovers that the act of thinking is not boring at all. The boy continues musing on the state of being bored: Is it fun when 300 boring people get together or is it 300 times more boring? He concludes that no matter how bored he feels, it is up to him to make his own fun. Cartoon illustrations in primary colors depict the boy in various whimsical scenarios as he analyzes his mental state and observes the world around him. Short sentences of prose, segmented throughout the page, work well with the illustrations to keep readers engaged and thinking critically along with the boy. VERDICT This book was first published in Japan, and is sure to entertain self-proclaimed bored children everywhere, provide them with food for thought, and inspire a few chuckles as well.--Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services
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Review by Horn Book Review
"I'm bored. So bored!" So begins this exploration into the subject of boredom, its triggers, and its antidotes. Spot cartoon art with ample creamy-white space and pops of primary and secondary colors show a high-energy child stymied by a lack of interest in the offerings from TV or toys until curiosity prevails at last: "Wait-what makes things boring? Why am I bored? What does 'boring' mean, anyway?" Potential answers spark more questions and imaginative conclusions (a boring amusement park would have a low Ferris wheel, a slow roller coaster, and midway games that are too easy). Thinking about boring things turns out to be surprisingly entertaining, and soon readers are treated to a litany of ideas and ponderings around boredom as a concept. (What is the most boring age in a person's life? Is it fun when three hundred bored people get together? Or is it three-hundred-times more boring?) Dad offers a few life lessons. "No matter how bored you are, it's up to you to make things fun...And because you get bored sometimes, the fun experiences are even more exciting, right?" Even though the book has been slowly coming to this conclusion all along, the child has heard it all before-so, aptly, "it's boring!" The clean, attractive art and the clever details in this Japanese import together create a thought-provoking exercise. Julie Roach November/December 2019 p.81(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The oft-heard childhood phrase "I'm bored" becomes the jumping-off point for this philosophical picture book.There is nothing to entertain or distract this child today, and so the protagonist becomes inquisitive about boredom. What does it mean exactly? Does everyone experience it? Even animals? Is life a continual dichotomy between fun and boring? Is boredom a matter of perspective? As the child demonstrates with bemusement, sometimes wandering through such answerless wonderings can itself be the antidote to boredom. Each page offers a thought experiment examining the nature of boredom sure to provoke curiosity and insight. This English translation of a book originally published in Japan in 2017 makes reference to Japanese culture through the illustrations; school children wear traditional uniforms, and adults sit cross-legged at tables low to the ground. All characters have the same paper-white skin, simple facial features, and brown or gray hair; the repetition of hairstyles, clothing, and facial expressions on the people emphasizes a sameness that is characteristic of boredom, yet even so, the illustrations are interesting and evocative. Adults and children will find this boring book a wonderful resource for sparking conversation. It's a terrific reminder for readers of all ages that boredom is always optional.A perfectly mild unpacking of the nuances and subtleties of boredom. (Picture book. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
