Wreck This Journal Everywhere, by Keri Smith, is an intriguing little book. It comes complete with crayons and tantalising instructions, and each page encourages imagination and creativity. When I opened the package, my 12-year-old son picked it up with feigned interest (a lot of books are scattered through every room in our house) and gave it back to me a few hours later with mud smeared all over the page that screamed “RUB HERE WITH DIRT!” Obediently he did. While flicking through the book, he giggled, guffawed, laughed out loud and called “Mum! Look at this!” quite a few times.
This is a fun book. It looks fun and encourages playful activities. Many include dirt, and some call for graffiti created by collecting weird things like bugs. I’ve always felt remorse when I have been forced to use my books to smash mosquitoes, but alas no more. This one screams out at you to do just that. There is plenty of space for creativity, and, as mentioned already, it comes complete with crayons.
While Wreck This Journal Everywhere is not going to improve your child’s reading score at school, it certainly is a cool book that they will thoroughly enjoy. And that has to be a good thing. It would make a perfect little gift any young person.
REVIEWER: Gillian Whalley Torckler
ITLE: Wreck This Journal Everywhere
AUTHOR(S): Keri Smith
PUBLISHER: Penguin Random House
RRP: $15.99