THIS IS STILL NOT A BOOK!

Playful illustrations challenge young readers to think outside the box.

Following on his 2016 not-book This Is Not a Book, Jullien presents a new set of illustrations that play with the book format to represent other objects that are definitely not a book. Pages open up to become a wide-open mouth with a tongue sticking out or a flip phone—young readers may not recognize this one, but adults will remember. Turn the page, and a foot will come out of its footprint to uncover bugs adhered to both sides. A toilet lid opens to reveal a goldfish in the bowl. Fold-out flaps become a dinosaur-decorated shirt. Children will puzzle over another fold-out page and laugh in delight when they finally see the two elephants sharing a trunk. Will they dare turn the page if it means closing a trap over a mouse? And just who—or what—is under that sheet? The playful illustrations in bold saturated colors are heavily outlined in black, and the people depicted have a range of skin colors. The wordless format encourages children to come up with their own explanations and interpretations. It is also an invitation for children to look around them and see familiar objects in a new light. How many objects will they see that open like a book yet are not a book?

Delightful, witty, and imaginative.