What Makes a Book a Book?

I've featured quite a few books by a specialty publisher, PHAIDON. Their offerings in children's books emphasize the quality of the book as a physical object, designing and producing board books, interactive books, and 3-D assembly books that are appealing in size and shape, with  eye-catching qualities of color, shape and contrast. Th subject matter and execution of content are equally distinct and attractive. The durability and paper quality and attention to detail of books in this category carry over to their picture books, too. 

Check out some of the Phaidon books I've reviewed HERE, HERE,  HERE, and HERE. 

PHAIDON, 2021

A brand new board book arrived for my examination (without a promise of review). It is a product of the witty and wonderful mind and talent of Jean Jullien. An earlier production, THIS IS NOT A BOOK, (2016)  set the stage for a sequel, THIS IS STILL NOT A BOOK. This latest effort continues to challenge the assumption that page-turning produces a simple left-right, beginning-middle-end interior. In fact, the challenge to our assumptions from the question that titles this post are embedded at every turn of concept, premise, subtle detail, and  cleverly complex gatefold. In each case little hands will be turning, twisting, and flipping perspectives and presumptions about what it is they are seeing... and thinking. And the durable construction will allow little ones to repeat and explore over and over again.

My teacher-instincts brought just a whisper of worry that this does nothing to support pre-reading concepts of left-to-right progression and story/concept awareness. Then my kid-loving-instincts took over and cheered that this is an ideal meta-book exploration of what actually IS A BOOK!

This wordless but thought-filled production invites a big-hearted embrace of the most important things about books: joy, surprise, engagement, meaning-making, exploration, and partnership with the creator. Without those, this is just a lovely stack of fun pictures on cardboard. With those essential book activities, we can safely grin at the author's teasing titles and confidently share his delightful books, filled with big ideas, meaningful glances, wry humor, and a successful counterattack to ever-present digital devices. This is truly a handheld delight from any and every angle.

If this whets your appetite for more young books that challenge and entice, take a look back at this post including several BOOK books that are as adored by adults as they are by kids.