This Book Is Not for You!
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
From New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor–winning author Shannon Hale and award-winning illustrator Tracy Subisak, comes a zany picture book that pokes fun at overly gendered notions of "boy books" and "girl books" and celebrates the pleasure of a good book.
Stanley’s thrilled for bookmobile day—until the old man at the window refuses to lend him the story he wants, all because it features a girl. “Girl books” are only for girls, the book man insists, just like cat books are only for cats and robot books are only for robots. But when a dinosaur arrives at the bookmobile and successfully demands a book about ponies, Stanley musters the courage to ask for the tale he really wants—about a girl adventurer fighting pirates on the open seas. By speaking up, Stanley inspires the people, cats, robots, and goats around him to read more stories outside their experiences and enjoy the pleasure of a good book of their choosing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This fantastical tongue-in-cheek picture book by Hale (Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn) follows light-skinned, dark-haired Stanley as he attempts to check out a book from the bookmobile "waiting at the crossroads, shiny as a rocket ship." In place of the "bookmobile lady," however, an elderly pale-skinned man leans out of the window and discourages Stanley from his selection, The Mysterious Sandwich: "Looks like this book is about a girl. You don't want this one, do you?" Events take a turn for the surreal when the old man responds to Stanley's desire for a robot book: "Only robots can read books about robots," he says as a robot rolls up. While Stanley attempts to find a suitable title, various anthropomorphic animals are depicted making selections, until Stanley and his bespectacled, light brown–skinned friend Valeria decide to trade—and a purple allosaurus in want of a pony book marches up and asserts herself. Subisak (Amah Faraway) brings her characteristic, doodle-reminiscent style to pages that expertly balance white space with dot-eyed characters human and nonhuman alike, rendered in light-hued washes of India ink, Japanese watercolor, pastel, and colored pencil. A gently delivered, persuasive case against the idea that books' audiences are innately gendered or otherwise limited. Ages 3–7. Illustrator's agent: Lori Kilkelly, LK Literary.
