My Book with No Pictures

My Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak (Puffin) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9780241444177

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This skinny book is exactly what it says – a (picture) book with no pictures. The story is also missing words, but there are blank spaces provided for the reader to contribute whatever words they think of.

It reads, for example: ‘Here’s the rule: Everything the words say, the person reading this book has to say. Which means I will sound very…’, which is followed by a blank. Some ideas are provided, such as ‘goofy’, ‘absurd’ and ‘cool’ but the reader might like to provide his or her own word. Alternatively, they can make use of the bonus sticker sheet provided and stick in a word such as ‘Baloney’, ‘Boo Boo Butt’ or ‘didda-BOO.’

There’s no real story to this book, and, of course, no pictures. There are, however, spaces where the reader can draw or paint their own illustrations. Talk about an interactive book!

My Book with No Pictures would probably amuse and engage a reader-writer-illustrator who is aged from six and up.