I went to my friend’s house last weekend to ‘interview’ (using the term loosely) my godson about a book I’d been given for review. (In related news, check out our Finn and Puss book review, if you missed it.)

While I was there 6yr old Pickle dragged out another story he wanted me to read. As it happened his mother had already told me she’d bought this book, and I suspect I’d come across it via the same person / site as I’d recently heard of it for the first time as well.

The Book With No Pictures
by B.J. Novak
Published by Puffin
on February 4th 2016
Source: Borrowed
Genres: Children's, Humour
ISBN: 0141361794, 9780141361796
Pages: 48
Goodreads

You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here's how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . . BLORK. Or BLUURF.

And even if the words include things like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and MY HEAD IS MADE OF BLUEBERRY PIZZA! That's the rule. That's the deal.

One of the books I’ve most enjoyed reading with Pickle is Beck and Matt Stanton’s This is a Ball, mentioned here, a book dripping in irony because the item in question is most certainly not a ball. It is a box. Oops sorry, #spoileralert

PIckle found it hilariously funny and the more talented of readers (like yours truly obviously! Ahem) can exaggerate and ‘play’ up to them. I think it’s also because we’re not at all worried about appearing stoopid!

Kids will love The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak for the same reason. It really doesn’t need a lot of explanation. It has no pictures. It’s all about the words and it’s meant to be a book adults read to kids. And because most of us are diligent readers (only skimming over pages when children are too young and we’re keen to get back to our wine) we read every word. Even the silly ones – which is the premise of this book.

And as you’ll see from the video below, Pickle LOVED this. I knew he’d read it before with his mother (several times I think) and yet, his reaction is still one of smug giggles mixed with guffaws at my embarrassment. (Okay, so I wasn’t embarrassed but I pretended to be. Obvs.)

The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak is published in Australia by Penguin Books and available in all of the usual places.