Wreck This Picture Book

by Keri Smith

What if there were a book that changed every time you read it?

Actually, every book does this. We are all part of the books we read, because our individual reactions, ideas, and emotions make the book whole, and these things are changing all the time.

Keri Smith has helped millions of people free their creativity and find their own voice with her interactive books, and now she brings that sensibility to children and to the act of reading. This picture book is an invitation to honour your own vision and to welcome imperfection. Kids will discover that reading can engage all five senses, and that what they themselves bring to a book is an important contribution. (And of course they'll be invited to do a bit of harmless wrecking!)

Praise for Keri

A conceptual artist and author luring kids into questioning the world and appreciating every smell, texture and mystery in it." -- TIME

"Keri Smith may well be the self-help guru this DIY generation deserves." -- The Believer

"Not gonna lie, this is probably the coolest journal you'll ever see. . . . Wreck This Journal is here to inspire you." -- BuzzFeed

"Smith pushes kids (and adults) to break convention by seeing the world as inspiration, rather than simply 'things.'" -- GeekDad (of The Pocket Scavenger )

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Books About Books, Nonfiction, Humor, Art

64 pages, Hardcover

Published November 3, 2020

About the author

Keri Smith is an author/illustrator turned guerilla artist. She has several bestselling books, including Wreck This Journal, This is Not a Book, How To Be An Explorer of the World, Mess, Finish this Book, and The Wander Society all published by Penguin Books. Read more at her website http://WWW.KERISMITH.COM
http://kerismithbooks.tumblr.com/
http://pinterest.com/penguinbooksusa/...

Reviews

[Yapha · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a librarian, I have mixed feelings about this book. It may be just what some children need to spark a love of books. I think it would be better in a personal collection than in a library. For grades 2 & up.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun-- but I think this works better in a personal collection than a circulating library. I borrowed it from the library, and I am REALLY hoping that readers before me did NOT touch their nose on the page, blow on it, or add a smell, some of what the author suggests they do! (Especially during covid-times!) I think the whole point of the book was to be interactive and to discourage thinking that a book has to be PRISTINE and perfect. Books are meant to be loved and used and lived. So, that's a good message, but I would like more attention and care given to a book that is meant to be shared with others.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can tell a well-loved book by how wrecked it is.
How does this one look now?
Do you know they call a book that is old-looking
"DOG-EARED"?
It usually means that the edges are worn the cover is grubby.

Public librarian here - this is not a book for the library collection. Love the concept of this book, however, I cringed at many of the suggested things to do to this book. Then *meh* when I recalled the myriad of heinous acts our collection has endured.

PSA - Do not sniff library books. Please wash hands before, and if not, definitely after handling them.

[María Amparo · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro es un objeto, sí, es objeto y sujeto de juego; es amigo, es guía y que esto sea efectivamente así está en las manos de su lector. Este libro-álbum está escrito e ilustrado maravillosamente y puede servir para que quienes se inicien en la lectura le pierdan miedo al objeto libro y abran la mente a todo lo que es, continente y contenido, y lo que le puede aportar a su crecimiento como persona.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the creator of Wreck this Journal, comes this interactive picture book that will have readers thinking about the books they read and love, in new ways. She encourages readers to use their senses to engage with a book and asks, "Did you know that a book is not able to be itself without you?" Smith's book is done in her hand-lettering and a fun and unique photo design for illustrations. We are instructed that books are meant to be used and interacted with. Share Smith's, Wreck This Picture Book with older readers for a fun experience.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be like Wreck This Journal which I really liked but it’s not. I have mixed feeling about this book as I didn’t care how this book was structured. I thought it was confusing. I liked the messages the author was trying to get across but the approach, didn’t work for me.

I felt that the whole moral of this story is that as you read a book, it becomes an adventure, as the person who reads the book shapes the story. That being said, a person can read a book today and reread the same book a year later and they can have a totally different experience because hopefully, they have grown during that year. In that year, that individual has had many different experiences to shape them.

That being the case. The author tries to get the reader to use their senses to explore this particular book at times and also, to expand this insight into the role of reading. Excellent! I love this message but how this is expressed in the book confused me.

The author gets the reader engaged into her book by physically doing things to this book: smelling, touching, etc. which is a fun activity and I can see individuals engaging in them but then, there are pages that confused me. Go ahead and take a look at this book, its very creative. Books are all about personal taste and this one, I just didn’t love. 3 stars

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can embrace smelling a book. I can get behind touching and feeling the texture of a book. But bending the pages and potentially tasting a book? I may have to draw the line! An interactive book that will absolutely get the kids involved. Please watch out for book tasting though....

[Vindria · Rating 5 out of 5]

¿Y porqué no? Tantas veces nos han dicho que no toques algo porque se gasta o se rompe que todo queda abandonado.

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who can remember being told to be careful with books? What about not bending the book? Don’t be rough, draw on, Wreck This Picture Book Book Review Coveror throw the book?

This book throws all those rules out the window!

Books are made to be savoured, enjoyed, and taken places.

Books are to be tasted, smelt, touched (with more than just your fingers), and heard as you flip the pages!

Wrap them, dress them, read them upside down. Hug them, wear them and turn them into presents!

Books are not just to be looked at, read and slid back on a shelf. They are to be enjoyed, shared and imagined.



This new book in the Wreck this series, banishes all the rules we’ve every heard about books. It even has a page to bend (shock – horror!). The text encourages the reader to shake, smell, touch, tap, knock the book. The black capitalised text is handwritten by the author and is clear against predominantly white backgrounds.

The bright illustrations are a fun jumble of collage, drawings, paintings and signs. A picture book like no other, taking Herve Tullet’s Press here interactive concept even further. Brilliant, but I still don’t think I could bend the pages….. 🙂

Author – Keri Smith

Designers – Keri Smith & Jason Henry

Age – 5+

[Barbara Bagatin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful gift for kids, but also joyful for anyone. This book remembered me when I was a Polyvore designer: I was used to add frequently the most famous of Keri Smith' "Wreck this Journal". This is a kinda funny journal- book: you have to find weird stuff in the book ( there is a treasure map), or craft a jacket for the cover. In this way, she suggests some ways to look at our books differently: as they were individuals. A very good point it is when a book is not in good conditios: we can make an effort to renew it, instead than give them away. Sometimes, as Kery suggests, the most used books we have are just our favorites. And this totally resonates with me.

[Lisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty darn cute! This is the kind of physical book I'd love to have in my first grade classroom. It encourages creativity, touch, and is immensely inspirational. It's the kind of book filled with ideas that will keep you and children entertained for a very long time.

If you're a fan of books such as "The Book with No Pictures" by B.J. Novak and "There's a Monster in Your Book" by Tom Fletcher, then this book is for you!

For my younger readers/listeners, I would definitely have preferred text that didn't seem to ramble on. Love that for older readers though.

@mscruzintexas

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keri Smith believes that books are best enjoyed when they’re explored regularly -- they’re not meant to sit around on shelves, or on bedside tables. What some people call wrecking, she thinks is bringing a book to life. With a search-and-find, loads of interactive elements (Herve Tullet) and invitations to truly ENGAGE with the book, this is the sort of reading experience that will change every time you pick it up. It’s a creative spark, and an activity book, and a story, all waiting to be explored.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wacky interactive picture book that suggests that books are lonely and gives a wide assortment of ways to get your book to move, for example, roll down a hill holding your book. Unlike other interactive picture books like Herve Tullet's Press Here, this is a hard book to share -- I don't even want to imagine how this works as a library book. However, the illustrations are truly creative and are quite thought provoking on their own.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a librarian, I have a hard time with books that want you to wreck them. As an adult who has begun to enjoy creating marginalia in my books, I love the idea of making a book wholly your own.

I love the free hand cutting and fun characters and apparatuses in the book and think these ideas will spark lots of imagination for kids and adults.

[Ruby Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interactive and asks kids to explore books in ways that encourages imaginative play. There are parts that ask readers to fold the pages which makes me nervous! It's a longer picture book so it suits first to second graders best.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that picks up where PRESS HERE by Herve Tullet left off, though I’m not sure this would work well as a library book(one page will inevitably leave kids tasting the book though it doesn’t TECHNICALLY tell kids to taste the book) so this is more recommended as a gift book.

[Kathryn Grivich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interactive, Reckless, fun

This book is about how reading is an interactive experience and that not every book has to be perfect.

This book is an interactive picture book that allows students to read with a hands-on approach.

[Boom! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silly, fun, imaginative and most importantly, INTERACTIVE! This will be an instant fav.

[Jeremy West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for young, adventurous readers!

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Lourdes Heuer]

Digital copy accessed through Edelweiss

[Norkett · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good book to purchase so you can do the silly things it suggests to make your experience with the book more interactive.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Penguin Young readers for the review copy.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much, I want to own it!

[Keriann's Picture Book Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great gift book; not so super library book. :P

[Pink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun idea, maybe not the best for a library book though lol

[Jenni Heins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this one! I like books and love when they look used and actually read!

[Sylvie M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keri Smith is a genius. Simply!

[Liv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the idea of sparking joy for books, but let’s not actually rub our nose and toes in one. Dog eared, okay. Thrown, maybe but.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids of all ages would love this engaging book filled with many challenges, secret messages and permission to dog-ear (gasp) the pages! :)