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This Is Not a Normal Animal Book

Illustrated by Brian Biggs

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About The Book

Blobfish! Blobfish blobfish blobfish! This is a silly picture book about animals and collaboration—or lack thereof. But mostly blobfish.

This is a book about animals.
It is? I mean, it sort of is. It does have animals in it.
It’s a book about animals.
I hear you, but you have to admit it’s pretty strange. This is NOT a normal animal book.
You should read it.
At least we can agree on that.

This offbeat picture book asks hilarious questions about animals and art, who’s in charge of a picture book—the author or the illustrator—and really gets you thinking about…BLOBFISH!

About The Author

Julie Segal Walters lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, son, and pesky cat. Before writing for children, Julie was a lawyer and advocate for civil rights and civil liberties, and an international democracy and civil society development specialist. These days, she can be found advocating for her many favorite children’s books to anyone who will listen. Julie is fluent in Spanish and loves to cook, but not bake. She thinks baking has too many rules. This Is Not a Normal Animal Book is her first picture book. To learn more about Julie, please visit JulieSegalWalters.com or follow her on Twitter @J_S_Dub.

About The Illustrator

None

Brian Biggs is the author and illustrator of many books for kids, including the Tinyville Town books, the New York Times bestselling Frank Einstein series (written by Jon Scieszka), Everything Goes, and Bike & Trike by Elizabeth Verdick. Brian has worked as an art director, graphic designer, and animator for interactivity and multimedia projects. His illustrations have appeared in magazines, newspapers, advertising, posters, toys, and puzzles. He works in an old garage. Visit him at MrBiggs.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (November 7, 2017)
  • Length: 48 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781481439220
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8
  • Lexile ® AD450L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

The true focus of this book is the arguing between author and illustrator—not animals. Reading it aloud in two distinct, argumentative voices (with a little storyteller-guidance) could really get kids giggling.

– School Library Journal

Who’s in charge of making a picture book: the illustrator or the writer? And what happens if they don’t get along? Segal-Walters’s debut begins as an ordinary introduction to different types of animals (mammals, birds, amphibians, etc.), but before long the illustrator has taken over. . . . With pencil shavings, crayons, erasers, scissors, tape, and construction paper, Biggs uses in-progress drawings, used erasers, and taped-in images to show an illustrator struggling mightily to interpret the text as the narrator grows increasingly frustrated. . . . A knowing and very funny behind-the-scenes look at the art—and negotiation—of collaboration.

– Publishers Weekly

Segal-Walters' narrator "thinks she's in charge" of her presentation of characteristics of different animals and animal groups, but she is one-upped by illustrator Biggs, who uses ink, crayon, and digital color to add Post-it notes and comments. His illustrations are quirky and funny. . . . Entertaining and even educational.

– Kirkus Reviews

Resources and Downloads

More books from this illustrator: Brian Biggs