The Anti-Book

Filled with clever wordplay and puns come-to-life. Its world crackles with imagination . . . The Anti-Book is a surprisingly powerful, formula-breaking coming-of-age story. -The New York Times Simon's omniscient narrator speaks to readers with equal parts humor, sarcasm, and intrigue. Short, quick-moving chapters, filled with dialogue and action, will keep the interest of its target audience . . . the strange, fantastical nature of this book is a fresh and welcome remix of the coming-of-age genre. -School Library Journal, starred review Lively interstitial illustrations show the White tween in both realistic and fantastical settings . . . Short sentences and a fast-moving plot will especially appeal to reluctant readers. A bubble-gum story disguising some real substance. -Kirkus Simon offers wacky, inventive sidekicks and plenty of humor, but it's also weirdly refreshing to adventure with a grumpy protagonist truly wallowing in his misery. On the flip side, it's heartening to watch Mickey grow in self-love and self-awareness and ultimately realize that he has been papering over deeper emotions with surface complaints. A sweetly silly but satisfying concoction. -Booklist With this fast-paced, humorous adventure, Simon explores the complicated interplay of negative emotions as Mickey learns to confront his shifting 'states of mind' and cope with the world around him. -Publishers Weekly This book will move you, make you laugh, and change the way you think. A mind-bending experience, unlike anything you've ever read before. -Adam Gidwitz, author of The Inquisitor's Tale This exciting, clever, and ultimately moving book deserves a place on the same shelf as our most beloved children's fantasies. -Trenton Lee Stewart, author of The Mysterious Benedict Society Wildly original. Witty. Whimsical. This book is clever and full of good humor. Kids (and their parents) will love it. -Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of Counting by 7s Quirky, snarky, and fast-paced. I'm very much pro The Anti-Book. I loved it! -Chris Grabenstein, author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Rafi Simon has created a wildly inventive world and a story that is both deep and deeply funny. -Stuart Gibbs, author of Spy School