The Book That No One Wanted to Read

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I won't spoil the whole story in this story, but I'll finish by saying my take away from The Book No One Wanted to Read, is how so many of us are in life.

Books can contain stories or facts about, and therefore be, virtually anything you can think of, but have you ever considered what a book might think about and feel? One neglected book in The Book That No One Wanted to Read, by Richard Ayoade and illustrated by Tor Freeman, has a chance to change its destiny when a reader encounters it and pulls it from a hiding spot on a high shelf, offering it a new future. Now I want to say here that Ayoade is in fact incorrect, this is NOT the first book to use this technique. John Agard also wrote a book narrated by a book, My Name is Book, also aimed at children, so this claim is not actually true. It’s another Bookwagon day in our house. The kids were so excited to get their latest books in the post.

What is it that makes YOU want to read a book? Richard Ayoade’s children’s debut gives you all the answers in a way that’s silly, funny, and thoroughly beguiling. But that was a look at books through history. This is a silly, sparkling total library-ful of nonsense.

Overall, this has been an entertaining read and I am sure it scores with the children with its fantasy and imaginative storytelling also the funny drawings. A great way to inform our young readers to explore more of their reading choices, and probably to start writing stories (you would understand once you know the ending). You can hear the author's voice in the Book's words, it's definitely him. I liked the fact you can easily tell the Book, the boy and the narration apart through text font, making it simple to follow in your head. I liked the word definitions, silly Walliams-esque diagrams, lists and comic illustrations. I love the opening lines where it states how so many say we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, to which he rightly says, "but how else can you decide whether you might like it?" It’s a book written by a book which ‘manipulatively’ makes us part of its “social experiment” (in a good way). The book would ask its reader to be in an imaginative situation where the reader would find a talking book, which thought that nobody wanted to read it. The book and the bookfinder would then engage in funny and silly conversations. I am not going to spoil anything else because it wouldn’t be fun then.

And I'd love to hear him narrate his own audio version. Though it wouldn't work half as well without the illustrations. This is perfect for kids 9+, and adults too, who love goofy yet thought-provoking humour. I absolutely loved this most bookish of books and can’t wait to see what Ayoade does next in children’s books. Inspiring to those readers who don't see themselves liking regular plot-driven books, equally to those who want to create their own masterpieces but don't have a solid idea - you don't HAVE to have one! Kids & Children» Children, Teenagers & Young Adults (YA) Fiction» General, Modern & Contemporary Fiction for Children & Teenagers

It’s “sort of” a story, but it’s more just a conversation with the book about books! What bookworm wouldn’t love that?! The irony is that, just as the book says, I would have ignored this on the shelf because of the cover if it hadn’t been sent to me for a review - so I have to urge to be better than me and go out and buy it for yourself, cover and all. Roaming the aisles of the library, seeking our next great read – is there anything quite like it? It’s almost as if the books call out to us, imploring us to single them out from their neighbors and get lost in the worlds they depict. This was my first book from Richard Ayoade. I didn’t know anything about him until someone told me that he has other funny books too and I can certainly vouch for that with this one! This book is so hilarious and weird. It goes off on these crazy tangents with silly jokes before finally getting to the actual story, and then it veers off into another wild tangent. I love it! The story was not at all what I expected. From actor-author-broadcaster-comedian-filmmaker Richard Ayoade comes a book narrated by . . . a book. Quirky, smart, and genre-busting, this is the saga of a book that nobody wants to read—until the day it meets YOU.Meta meta meta! Lovely stuff with gorgeous illustrations. If you like books (and should you even be on goodreads if you don’t? Should there be a badreads with a reverse rating system…?), with a bit life philosophy weaved through, this is for you. A good librarian doesn’t just look out for the less prominent books either… as we all should… with just a little bit of heart for everything This book is indeed narrated by… a book. In fact, it’s narrated by the very book which you hold in your hands. Ayoade dives head first into this very tangible character, and the result is not only hilarious and a bit bonkers, but actually rather meaningful. There’s a lot to be learnt from the act of reading! From judging a book by its cover, to the organisation of libraries, to the way people treat books as physical objects (go easy on the dog-ears), this book has a lot of feelings about being a book. It really just wants to fit in and find its perfect reader – which could be you. I sometimes wonder whether you couldn't say the same is true of us books. If no one can read us, what are we? He says " How would you describe YOU? Not the you in the reflection of your mirror, as that's just your cover, and by now we know about the trouble with covers - they don't tell the whole story.