THE LIBRARY
The latest book releases for curious minds
BEAT THIS BOOK
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
AUTHOR HOWARD CALVERT ILLUSTRATOR GEMMA CORRELL PUBLISHER QUARTO PRICE £12.99 / $19.99
RELEASE OUT NOW
The challenge begins right out of the gate: ‘Book’ speaks to the reader in a tone that approaches that of a comic supervillain, telling them that they cannot possibly beat the challenges it sets – though that shouldn’t put them off and they will certainly have fun trying. Book’s superconfident demeanour lasts all of three pages, after which it gives the reader a slow clap for spotting the smallest dog among a tightly packed spread of cartoon pooches.
It’s downhill for Book from here as it lines up one game after another, only for its self-belief to waver as it assumes the reader beats its every challenge. Challenges like, guess the longest of five slippery creatures that include a worm, a boa constrictor and a deep sea siphonophore, where the reader must turn the page to see where the tail ends. Or, find the hole among all the spots on several different creatures – it’s an actual hole in the page of the book, as if someone had used a hole punch on it.