The Most Boring Book Ever

September 1, 2024
Grades K-3 A boy sat in a chair,"" begins this debut picture book from fantasy super-duo Sanderson and Kibuishi. A boring opener, to be sure, especially with the text set against a double-page spread of white space--although the young Victorian man sitting nervously in the chair does give a hint of intrigue. ""That's it. He just sat in a chair,"" confirms the next spread; however, the white space has been filled with clouds and blue sky, and the boy in the chair is now falling. Thus begins a whirlwind plummet, anchored by the classic gag of a humdrum text seemingly unaware of the madcap action in the illustrations. As the falling boy boringly looks at clouds, watches for birds, thinks about laundry, and does math, he thrillingly dodges gyrocopters, fends off a dragon, breaks his fall, and calculates a way to survive. Kibuishi does the heavy lifting, of course, leaning into a steampunk aesthetic in an ongoing series of full-bleed action shots that deliver a nice, quick thrill ride. A surefire crowd-pleaser.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Sanderson and Kibuishi are both giants in their categories, sure to bring a lot of interest over into the picture-book space.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2024
In this collaboration between sci-fi novelist Sanderson and Amulet creator Kibuishi, an unreliable narrator informs readers that here be no dragons. "A boy sat in a chair." The book opens on a bespectacled, light-skinned child in old-fashioned attire. The narration continues, "That's it. He just sat in a chair," while on the opposite page, the boy's chair has unexpectedly whisked him heavenward. The narrator attempts to convince readers that just sitting in a chair is boring. As the story continues, however, the boy is attacked by an array of sky ruffians operating vessels; fight scenes and impressive explosions ensue. A dragon makes an appearance as the narrator drones on about how dull the story is. Kibuishi's detailed cartoon images depict an enticing steampunk-esque world. Adults reading this book to kids might want to read the text first without the pictures; on a second run they can show off the images, neatly illustrating the important interplay of text and visuals in sequential art. Unfortunately, for all that the illustrations maintain the action at a fair clip, near the end the plot grows muddled as the boy gets out of his chair but then tumbles to the ground: Was he falling and then trying to stop himself? Some adult intervention may be required to clarify what precisely is happening on the page. Sky-based pyrotechnics make for a fun if somewhat confusing telling.(Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 19, 2024
Opening this tongue-in-cheek title, readers will sense that no self-respecting creator would willingly call a book “the most boring ever” without having something up their narrative sleeve. For Sanderson (the Skyward series) and Kibuishi (the Amulet series), that something is the interplay between a deadpan voice, shown in text banners, and action-packed, digitally colored pen-and-ink artwork. As the text kicks off, “A boy sat in a chair,” a pale-skinned, redheaded child in an oversize derby perches in a seat that looks like it’s been borrowed from the stage set of a Viking epic. But though “sitting in chairs is boring,” successive visuals prove otherwise, propelling the boy into the sky, where a dogfight explodes between steampunk-style flying vehicles. Other “boring” activities follow, including bird-watching, thinking about laundry, and contemplating math homework. While no birds are perceived, the youth does encounter a magnificent dragon—red-scaled, yellow-eyed, and toothy—while laundry and math come in handy as he careens among the brightly colored tile roofs of an elaborately drawn town. In this world, words and pictures collide rather than collaborate—and the result is one wild ride. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Judy Hansen, Hansen Literary.