Can you say the world's, and New Zealand's, longest place name: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaunga horonukupokaiwhenuakitnatahu. Can you point to your spine? How about the book's spine? Can you make the tiniest whisper ever? Can you make the noise an otter makes? Can you make an impression of a goldfish by holding your breath?
Readers of Beat This Book are inspired to do exactly that, beat the book. With more than 40 challenges, this is one extremely determined book. It is bright and bold, with fun illustrations by Gemma Correll.
Younger readers love books like this - they're interactive and challenge the notion of what reading is. Books like this are great for engaging those more reluctant to read especially. However, these sorts of books can be hit and miss. For them to really work, they need to be bang on and Beat This Book doesn't quite make the mark compared to similar books. The challenges are a little bit random, there doesn't seem to be much connecting one to the next. Correll's cartoon-ish artwork is perfect for the book, but the design of the book means a lot of the time her illustrations are a little swamped.
The book is also a character and it's not very endearing - the sassissness of it may be a little off-putting to some younger readers who don't yet understand that humour.
While the concept is great, Beat This Book doesn't quite nail the execution for me.
Reviewer: Rebekah Lyell
Allen & Unwin