The book that did not want to be read

Once upon a time, a child asked a grown-up to read them a book, but the grown-up picked a book that did not want to be read, and chaos ensued. The book turns itself into everything from a zooming car to wildly flapping wings. New words appear making it very blard to fread, the text shrinks and expands, words scramble and flip, rabbits appear where no rabbits should be, all of the As suddenly change into Os just as an "olligotor oppeors." And if that weren't enough, the book eventually lights itself on fire. Following in the fantastic trend of interactive and wildly innovative books, this will rank among adored kid--pleasers like Hervé Tullet's Press Here (2011), and B. J. Novak's The Book with No Pictures (2014). Every page is a surprise, a treat, and a discovery. The book is predominantly text, but the steampunkish artistry is spectacular and full of whimsy, like a tiny, hipster-curated Etsy shop for kids. The whole experience is unexpected in the best possible way, and grown-ups are handed their role on a silver platter with no guesswork, just guaranteed success. While certainly any grown-up readers must sign off on being silly and performative to tackle this text, the payoff in enjoyment and pure kid giggles will be huge.

K-Gr 3--This book definitely makes it very difficult for readers to read it, leading to mayhem and hilarity with pages that grow, shrink, spin, and disappear! When chosen by a youngster at bedtime, this book warns that perhaps a different book might be a better choice. With old-fashioned red and green script and decorations that fill the cream-colored pages, the story is definitely one that is meant to be read aloud, but with lots of attention to the pages. Each time a page is turned, the book presents another difficulty, from closing itself to growing wings and trying to fly away, to "burning" the pages in places that claim to be hot to the touch. The words turn into songs, fade, grow, switch vowels, become a fill-in-the-blanks story, and generally cause mayhem. Along the way, strange pictures appear for no reason, and the addition of the rabbit, alligator, top hat, or other quirky thing just makes the journey more absurd. All ends well with a sweet good night shared and a promise. VERDICT This is a hilarious and thoughtful book, so much more than a funny read-aloud; the drawings and layout are essential elements that demonstrate how the visual arrangement of a book can communicate a whole story.--MaryAnn Karre, Binghamton, NY