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B.J. Novak's 'The Book with No Pictures' continues to top bestseller lists

As shown by the title, Novak's book for kids contains no illustrations but instead includes funny words that reviews say are sure to get kids giggling.

'The Book with No Pictures' is by B.J. Novak.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

Months after its publication, writer B.J. Novak’s children’s book “The Book with No Pictures” continues to do well on bestseller lists.

As one might presume from the title, the work by Novak, who acted and appeared on the sitcom “The Office” and also wrote the book “One More Thing,” is a book for children without illustrations. “I wanted the colors to be bright and I wanted the letters to look as interesting as pictures, especially once kids realize that certain words were making people say certain things,” Novak said of the book in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I wanted kids to kind of revel at the magic of that… I would love this to be the first book that every kid remembers that they read without pictures… That would be my dream, that it becomes touchstone that kids remember as the first book without pictures they read that blew their mind.” 

The book was released this past September and received many positive reviews, with Barnes & Noble selecting it as one of the best books of the year. “This supremely silly, entirely endearing book is one of the year’s most delightful surprises,” staff wrote. “We’ve yet to make it through this one without the kids collapsing into fits of giggles.” Other publications agreed, with School Library Journal’s Michele Shaw of California’s Quail Run Elementary School writing that people should “expect requests for repeated readings,” Publishers Weekly writing that the book is “sure to deliver big laughs,” and Kirkus Reviews giving the title a starred review, calling it “a riotously fresh take on breaking the fourth wall.” 

Months after publication, “Pictures” is still selling well. The book ranked at number one on the Children’s Illustrated IndieBound bestseller list for the week of Feb. 5 and coming in at number one on the New York Times children’s picture books bestseller list for the week of Feb. 8.

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