This Is Still Not A Book!, an absurd, elementary-aged board book

When is a book not a book? This is Still Not A Book! is the sequel to This Is Not A Book!. “This is a very direct book”, said our 11-year-old when he opened it. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, and after looking at the board book I can somewhat understand what he meant. It’s worth noting that this child is very literal and able to see the big picture, as well as, the small picture. That is important because This Is Still Not A Book! is a board book from the realm of absurdity, from which you have to venture through The Far Side to get there. All that’s missing from this book are a couple of cow puns or talking animals to complete the classic one-strip motif.

Jean Jullian’s This Is Still Not A Book! is a board book that can be enjoyed by crawlers. It has thick, durable pages that are more resistant to those young ages that might be prone to chew on them. That, however, is where the similarities between it and other board books end. Most board books you’ve seen are cute and awesome to some degree, regardless of what they’re trying to teach or do. Some are more education-driven, while others are silly and meant to entertain.

This Is Not A Book! is a board book that plays with your perspective like no other crawler book we’ve seen. Every two pages show separate images that are related to each other to some degree. Some of the pages might be cause and effect, it could be one image that requires you to look at both pages in order to see it, and one two-page series even pops off to display an elephant’s nose. It’s a smarter board book than adults might be used to, but I’d wager that most pre-K audiences will grasp the illusion that the pages are creating.  

The tone of the book is established from the front cover where we see a microwave that shows the time 12:00. When you turn the cover you see the interior of the microwave, the clock is displaying 12:03 and it’s filled with popcorn. Turn the page again and you see the top 90% of a child’s face, with the bottom 10% of their face and their tongue with a piece of popcorn on it.

This Is Still Not A Book! is smart and requires children to think, but it does so in a fun, puzzle-type manner. It doesn’t position itself as a chore to experience. Think of it more like a simple optical illusion that some kids might not see on the first attempt, but won’t be able to un-see it after they discover the perspective and absurdity within.

Its spine is thick and well constructed, which is important when you get a board book. This will ensure that it’ll last longer and give more audiences the opportunity to experience its dry, absurdist humor. The humor in This Is Still Not A Book! is approachable for any kid, however, some will certainly like it more than others. The book isn’t too weird or out there for kids. Some parents or educators might look at the book and think that, but just channel your inner elementary-age Far Side fan and they’ll be just fine.

This Is Still Not A Book! is from Jean Jullien and available on Phaidon Books.

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