BJ Novak, who most of you know as Ryan from The Office, came out with a children’s book today called The Book with No Pictures.
It’s a children’s book with no pictures (as the smart people reading probably already surmised) which might make most parents skeptical it will hold their child’s interest.
I know I was skeptical.
I was sent an early copy about a week ago and decided to test it out on Mazzy.
ME: Mazzy, I got you a new book.
MAZZY: Yay! Let me see it!
I showed her the plain black and white cover with bold serif font.
MAZZY: Oh.
The disappointment was palpable.
ME: It’s called “The Book with No Pictures”.
MAZZY: NO PICTURES??? That doesn’t sound like a very good book.
She was skeptical too.
ME: I know the writer and he’s pretty funny, so let’s give it a shot.
(I don’t really know the writer.)
MAZZY: Oh-kaaaaaay.
That’s her eyerolling begrudging voice. Can you hear it?
We sat down to read the book, Mazzy on one knee and Harlow on the other. It took about four pages for it to click, but by page seven, Mazzy was intrigued (probably because her mother had just shouted the word “BLORK”) and by page ten, she burst out laughing. Harlow started laughing too. I’m not sure if she was trying to match her sister’s enthusiasm or she genuinely got the absurdity of the book. After all, at that point I was talking like a robot monkey.
We’re not talking giggles. We’re talking BIG LAUGHTER. Guffaws, even. (Can a four-year-old girl and her baby sister guffaw? Yes, yes they can.) It was almost like Mazzy and Harlow were having a competition to see who could laugh loudest.
The Book with No Pictures is one of those books that puts emphasis on certain words so you have no choice but to read it correctly and with great animation. By the time I was done, I was like— WOW. I am really a MASTER with children! I had no idea!
Actually, it’s just BJ Novak who is kind of a genius and made an awesomely original children’s book.
Mazzy immediately made me read it again.
MAZZY: AGAIN!!!
Harlow wanted me to read it “agame”- that’s how she says “again”.
HARLOW: AGAME!!!
We read it three more times before I finally said, alright enough. We’ll read it again tomorrow.
ME: Alright enough, we’ll read it again tomorrow.
You really have to hear it to appreciate it, so here’s a video of BJ Novak reading it to a room full of kindergarten students through second graders.
I highly suggest everyone buy The Book with No Pictures, if you are looking for new reading material for your kids. But if you have something against buying books, I’m also doing a giveaway for a signed copy.
All you have to do is follow Mommy Shorts on facebook (or for the facebook averse, subscribe to my newsletter) and leave a comment below with a totally random sentence that would be sure to make your kids laugh.
Something like….
“My best friend is a hippo named Boo Boo Butt”.
The winner will be selected randomly and announced on Friday, October 10th.
Maybe we can convince BJ Novak to read the winner’s comment out loud.
(Probably not, but wouldn’t that be awesome?)
UPDATE: Congratulations to Gia! “Mr. Poo Poo Head will be coming to dinner” as soon as you shoot me an email (ilana@mommyshorts.com) to claim your prize.
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This is not sponsored. I just really like the book.
I love gnarly snarkles pick pops!
What was Dada wearing again, a pink ballgown?
Get out of that fart sack! (to get them out of bed in the morning)
Boopity bop!
Are, are you stinky? Followed by the sniffing behind the ears, under the neck, all the tickle spots.
Out jumped the kangaroo and he said, “it’s time to wiggle the fuzzy wuzzies off your teeth.”
My 11 month old laughs when we laugh
And then everyone farted.
Poop.
I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back baby back!
The squirrel is licking the window again.
Today my turtle left for school without brushing his hair and his shell inside out.
Pink pimple pepperoni pizza!
Who poo-pooed on the snake?
The spider went poop on the mummy’s head.
My children and first graders love the word poop! This book would be awesome for both my girls and my students 🙂
you’ve convinced me, i just ordered it.
My purple puppy loves to eat pumpernickel jelly beans.
Sure to make my kids laugh? I could just say “Perry Poodle pooted” and they would be in hysterics!!
snargle snargle floo floo pops.
Ready set …. Fart
Two gorillas danced down the street singing “Ollie Ollie Goop Goop!”
Sniggle wiggle wuggle wag-dog duggle.
Snow White ate the jam filled toes of seven little men.
Kangaroos bounce out bubble boogers.
Whippersnapper floping flail a nugen
The woozles chased the hefalumps with a dinglehopper!? WHAT!?
Knock Knock.
Who’s there?
Beth.
Beth who?
Beth Witheth, Thweetie!
I’m pretty sure Barbie needs to poop”
The dingo ate my baby.
DADDY NEEDS SPECIAL BOOTY SPRAY FOR HIS STINKY FARTS.
“Is that doggy so silly??” Because apparently the words doggy and silly are hilarious to this 10 month old.
Apple-o-cidopiloisdopholois…that’s what my son responds when we ask what he would name a dog, and then he laughs til he farts.
My son’s baby doll is named Aloysius Butt. He is 2 and would love this book!
Oh no plazaam! I’m a bloop!
Holy rubber baby buggy bumpers, that’s a stinky boy booty!
The dog ran up the chimney!
Watch out for my butt! (As a fellow Frozen prisoner, I mean, fanatic – I’m sure you get the reference. My daughter likes to say this in the bathtub, lol.)
Whatever you do…DON’T LAUGH!!
Giggitygoo flippity flap nuggets.
In response to the daily badgering “What’s for dinner Mom?” I exasperatedly replied “Booger stew!” Cue peals of laughter – and I created a fun little ongoing joke in our family…”What’d you have for lunch today?” “Booger burgers!” Etc etc etc.
Guess what?..Chicken Butt!!..my kids luv this.
Mr. Poo Poo Head is coming for dinner!
Hey stinky wizzletoots! Lets go see boogie (her cousin)!
Come here ya little stinker-doodle and do the chug-lug dance!
The pink clouds smell like stinky feet!
I smell like beef.
I only like to eat pink pickles with peppermint sauce, scrumdiddikyumptious!!
Seriously, though, my daughter LOVED this video and made me play it for her several times. Then she said she’s going to write her own book so she can make me say silly things, lol! That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
Timmy the Turtle tooted in the tub.
I know kids laugh at silly words but my kid has an incredibly dry sense of humor. his favorite words: “Barack Obama”. “Kramer.”. And it kills him when someone on The Office yells. “Michael!”.
goo goo goggles you coocoo banana baby!
Just ordered on Amazon. My family needs this. 🙂 thanks for posting!
Fart or poop gets my boys every time.
there’s spider poop in your hair!
Did you do a bunka again? Is your heiny (sp?) stinky?? (Bunka is how we say “fart” in Polish – it cracks the kids up!
Bloop Bleep!
I love you, sugar booger bear!!!
I am a robot that likes to eat stinky socks with a side of ketchup.
My son would LOVE this book, especially the hippo line.
Rooter tooter baloney bloopers
blarffff
Are you a toots magoots?!
“I be cookie (monster) nomnomom” and through toys everywhere. Most annoying game ever!
Who has a stinky tinkey poop butt…. sends my 20 month old into fits if laughter.
Book looks great, if I don’t win, ill order it!
Boobies. (That’s it. I don’t even need a whole sentence.)
Mommy is a ro-bot.
Id like a Picklelily zuper dat! With a baba on the side.
Silly Willy SiSs Boom Bah!
Your white kitty minnow has a tan poop butt!
What’s for supper?
Poopfodamackabia!!
Again??
Silly willy milli vanilla!
Are you mommy’s monkey-moo?! (my nickname for my little guy)
Silly willy Milly vanilly
“I’m not a cracker monkey; I’m Zephra!” – quote from my daughter.
Peeeee eeeewwww, stinky!
A yellow lizard zips fuzzy headphones.
“What are you going to do with that big fat butt?”
Then I switch the station
(To the tune of Frere jacques)
Brush your teeth
Brush your teeth
If you don’t
If you don’t
Then your teeth will fall out of your head
And your brains will fall out of your teeth holes
Brush your teeth
Brush your teeth
“My best friend is a hippo named Boo Boo Butt”. Anything with butt cracks my boys up!
you have a raisin stuck on your buttkiss!!
You’re a sock tomato! (Burrrrrn)
Purple monkeys wear parrot feather hats.
“Hold on to your butts!” Gets the giggles going.
Tiny tough turtles topple a tardis on Tuesday.
Who tooted?!
Tickle butt!
Do you remember the peanut fart?
I am the king of poopy pants.
Flarggleknoggins whootercarnate and bounceflouncepouncecattins
Belly button!
Which is then followed by giggles and flashing everyone in the immediate vicinity
Edging booties!
“Mother-lover chicken-butter!!!”
It’s ALWAYS a winner ;D
My 4yo loves it when I read any Dr. Seuss or Robert Munsch or Sandra Boyton, b/c of the funny words/sounds, like: There’s a Wocket in My Pocket and one page talks about the Ghair under the chair and the Zamp under the Lamp. Those nonsense words get him giggling!
The doggy cried, “Snarf flaps”, as he ran from Zoobery Zut the fart monster!
I like to eat pancakes while swimming in gravy
Daddy has a banana stuck up his nose.
This book sounds awesome! My daughter is still young enough to where “tickle” makes her laugh.
Boop boop pickle poop.
Chicken marshmallow, the Iowa Hawkeyes smell like toot.
mommy tooted! *anything involving toots or bodily functions is hilarious in our house.
This book is kook ma gook and I want to eat it right now.
I wear pancakes on my head and shower with syrup!
I was so sick and tired of hearing “Wee Willie Winkie” so I changed the words to “Wee Willie Winkie running through the town eating all the cupcakes and pooping on the ground”. My kids, 7 and 3, laugh hysterically every time we sing the mommy version and I can’t help but smile. Although Grandma was not impressed.
What would happen if your butt was inside out? Did you know that a chicken’s head is in the back and the butt is in the front?