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The Boring Book

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2019
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
The Boring Book is a humorous picture book that follows the story of one particularly bored boy.
As the story progresses, our protagonist discovers there's actually more to boredom than what meets the eye—more questions, more theories, and heaps of humor.
This exploration of boredom from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake
playfully—and hilariously—unpacks the ways in which a seemingly stagnant state is actually a portal into a dynamic, life-enriching experience.
• Embraces the topic of boredom—an ever-so-popular kid complaint—and runs with it
• The unique comic format, fast pace, smart humor, and narrative approach makes it ideal for reluctant readers
• A universally hilarious book that will amuse children ages 5 to 8, as well as adults
In addition to banishing boredom, Yoshitake's distinctive illustrations promote visual literacy and show young readers what the process of creative thinking looks like.
This smart, laugh-out-loud picture book just might change your child's perspective on the state of boredom forever.
• A wonderful gift for parents, teachers, educators, librarians, caregivers, and anyone who has to answer to the statement "I'm bored!"
• Perfect for readers of early chapter books
• Great for fans of the Fox & Chick series by Sergio Ruzzier, Waiting Is Not Easy! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems, and I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black
  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

    Kindle restrictions
  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 13, 2019
      Japanese author and illustrator Yoshitake (Still Stuck) zeroes in on a ubiquitous childhood experience and probes it with dry wit. The creator’s human figures draw smiles from the get-go as a boy sprawls on the couch, dead bored: “My toys are boring. There’s nothing to watch on TV.” His mind wanders: “Why am I bored? What does ‘boring’ mean, anyway?” In vignettes and multistage spreads, the boy considers the many permutations of ennui. “I wonder what the world’s most boring amusement part is like,” the boy says, as Yoshitake shows children in an advanced state of stupor shuffling through a park (“The Ferris wheel is low. The roller coaster is slow. Most of the rides are closed for repairs”). Is everything either fun or boring, or is there something in between, “like when I’m peeling a hard-boiled egg”? Just don’t ask the adults about being bored. Their replies are... dull. The uncredited translation conveys the book’s humor, though the warm, handwritten text of the original is swapped out for chilly printed type. Alive to paradox, Yoshitake demonstrates that talking about what’s boring can be a lot of fun. Ages 4–8.

    • Kirkus

      June 15, 2019
      The oft-heard childhood phrase "I'm bored" becomes the jumping-off point for this philosophical picture book. There is nothing to entertain or distract this child today, and so the protagonist becomes inquisitive about boredom. What does it mean exactly? Does everyone experience it? Even animals? Is life a continual dichotomy between fun and boring? Is boredom a matter of perspective? As the child demonstrates with bemusement, sometimes wandering through such answerless wonderings can itself be the antidote to boredom. Each page offers a thought experiment examining the nature of boredom sure to provoke curiosity and insight. This English translation of a book originally published in Japan in 2017 makes reference to Japanese culture through the illustrations; school children wear traditional uniforms, and adults sit cross-legged at tables low to the ground. All characters have the same paper-white skin, simple facial features, and brown or gray hair; the repetition of hairstyles, clothing, and facial expressions on the people emphasizes a sameness that is characteristic of boredom, yet even so, the illustrations are interesting and evocative. Adults and children will find this boring book a wonderful resource for sparking conversation. It's a terrific reminder for readers of all ages that boredom is always optional. A perfectly mild unpacking of the nuances and subtleties of boredom. (Picture book. 6-10)

      COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • School Library Journal

      August 1, 2019

      PreS-Gr 2-A fluffy-haired boy says the commonly heard childhood phrase, "I'm bored." Mom is busy, so he wonders to himself just what makes things boring. Why is he bored? What does boring actually mean? He imagines boring situations, parks with no playgrounds and such. While pondering the concept of boringness, he discovers that the act of thinking is not boring at all. The boy continues musing on the state of being bored: Is it fun when 300 boring people get together or is it 300 times more boring? He concludes that no matter how bored he feels, it is up to him to make his own fun. Cartoon illustrations in primary colors depict the boy in various whimsical scenarios as he analyzes his mental state and observes the world around him. Short sentences of prose, segmented throughout the page, work well with the illustrations to keep readers engaged and thinking critically along with the boy. VERDICT This book was first published in Japan, and is sure to entertain self-proclaimed bored children everywhere, provide them with food for thought, and inspire a few chuckles as well.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

      Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 25, 2021
      The Metropolitan Bicycle Museum is having a big celebration, and everyone Etta the elephant knows is going—after all, who would pass up a chance to ride a bicycle inside a museum? It’s an expansively magical and interactive environment, with a display that recaps bicycle history, rooms for pedal-powered air and water vehicles, a model house powered entirely by bicycles, a complicated racetrack, and a hall filled with adaptive bikes. Rendered in gouache and mixed media, the busy pages are expertly choreographed, with a fine sense of line, color, and whimsy; dialogue balloons and narrator cues provide additional incentives to linger on each page (“A koala mom looks for all five of her joeys. Who is going where?”). While readers can follow Ella’s journey through the event—which culminates in a thrilling surprise engineered by her Aunt Ellen—the real attraction is Farrell’s (Runaway Signs) endless imaginings of the ways that animals might ride pedal-driven vehicles: a short list includes a rabbit parent with an impressively long, bunny-filled bike trailer; a cat on a pontoon bike (“So fun! And I don’t even like water!”); and a pig on a bike-powered blender. Ages 3–5. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
Kindle restrictions

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:520
  • Text Difficulty:1-3

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