Last year, I was teaching a high school English class, and one of the students went rogue. They started drawing phallic shapes with various curse words directed at me. I know, normally one would expect that from elementary school students, but this student was special. Thankfully, their handwriting was poor and identical to the handwritten essays I asked them to do, thus, it was quite simple to confirm who the culprit was. Don’t Draw in This Book! is the toddler, pre-k and kindergarten entry point that kids need for a couple of reasons.
Don’t Draw in This Book! is a board book that begs for clumsy-handed interaction. It’s a board book that’s different, and to an extent better than other board books for two big reasons. This is a big board book. At 8” by 8” it’s one of the biggest board books that we’ve seen in a long time. The book’s construction matches its size and is built to last a long time. The best indicator for the quality construction of a board book is its joint, or hinge. If the spine separates from the back page and does not create a joint, it’ll fall apart quickly. Don’t Draw in This Book! has a strong hinge on the spine, allowing it to pivot from the back cover/final page. The mechanics behind a well-constructed book are sublime and make all the difference in the world.
When our kids were actively enjoying board books we purchased what seemed to be a good value from a big box store. It was a four-pack of well-known stories and an author that every kid knows. The stories were great. The author was timeless. The books were poorly made and didn’t have a hinge on the front or back cover. It was because of this, coupled with the emerging dexterity of a two-year-old, that the books didn’t last long. They were enjoyed, yes, but they also made their way to the recycling bin quickly.
Don’t Draw in This Book! will spend a long time taunting the recycling bin. When crawlers or stumblers open the book, they are greeted by a friendly, purple creature named Larry. Larry is the blob who has crossed out Bill Cotter’s name on the front and written his in blue crayon. On the first two pages opposite Larry, kids will see a blank notebook that’s turned to a blank page. In his own forceful, yet friendly way, Larry tells kids that they can’t draw in the book. “I mean it, bub!”, he sternly warns kids.
I love it when ‘bub’ is used in children’s literature. It’s a playful term that brings back memories of Wolverine and conveys so many questionable emotions
By the third page Larry realizes that it’s fun to draw in books. He suggests that kids trace the shapes on the pages using their fingers. There’s a page where kids can trace a circle. Larry follows that up by congratulating kids on making a big, blue circle. This is classic TPR learning where they’re engaging various senses in a form of play, but are learning something too.
Kids will make a blue streak that goes across the book. They learn to swipe down. This takes Larry into the water where he has kids draw a curvy line. Because Larry ends up in the water he asks them to draw a simple fish. A silly shape is created that gives Larry wings, which take him up into the sky where a seagull flies into the notebook. Now the notebook has lots of colors and multi-colored versions of Larry as he’s cheerfully asking everyone to poke the polka dots.
Don’t Draw in This Book! is a book that starts out simple and gets very weird. It’s the great kind of weird kids will giggle at and daydream about. Larry is a simple shape that will make kids laugh. They’ll turn the book over, draw shapes upside down and then doodle in the dirt when the book isn’t around. So, are kids learning to draw, learning sight words or simply having fun? It’s a combination of all three, it’s good silly fun that has something for kids to do, while they’re engaging in a board book. The book is also constructed to a very high caliber and can be used for years, as long as kids Don’t Draw in This Book! too much.
Don’t Draw in This Book! is by Bill Cotter and is available on Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
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