It's a book

This is a great little book.

A laptop-bearing jackass (or donkey, if it suits your sensibilities better, but I'm using the book's terminology) and a book-bearing monkey engage in a dialogue about what, exactly, is a book. Throughout, it's very neat that the jackass' dialogue is in a tech-font and

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that the monkey's dialogue is in a traditional typeface. The jackass wants to know if it can scroll down, if the characters can fight, where the mouse is (there is a little mouse, the furry kind, cleverly hiding under the monkey's hat), if it needs a screen name, etc. This monkey's not reading a Kindle; the answer to all these questions is no, it's a book. Slowly, the jackass becomes absorbed in this "new" thing and refuses to relinquish his new treasure, prompting the monkey to go to the-- gasp!-- library.

And then there comes the final line of the book, which is going to be a sticking point for some readers. The jackass promises to recharge the book when he's done, and he's told he doesn't have to-- "It's a book, jackass." This doesn't offend me, but I'm 30 and childless. I don't have to explain the hilarious little exchange to anyone, and I'm not puritanical. I work in a public library, though, and I can foresee problems with this final line and some parents. It's going to step on some toes. My personal feeling is that it's the best line in the book, but, from working with the public, I know you have to respect the feelings of your whole readership.

This complicates the issue of what audience this book is intended for. This is a wonderful book, and adults should put it on their to-read list; parents should probably be advised to give it a once-over and evaluate it based on their own criteria before using it as a read-aloud to children.

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This book has a big sense of humor. I think this book would be great for young adults, and some older children. The illustrations in this book make it fun to read.

Hilarious!! A brilliant little book on the wonders of a book. It doesn't need a password, use a mouse, or need to be charged. You can't make it fight or scroll down. 'It's a book.' The last line is the kicker. A second grader read it aloud to me and hooted like crazy!!

This is a must read for anyone that has survived the technology era....

It’s a Book was an instant hit in my home. My children had watched the book trailer prior to receiving our copy in the mail. When I opened the package the day it arrived all three simultaneously said , “It’s A Book!”. There is no greater joy for a book loving mama than watching your kids

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fall into book love. I’ll pass by my daughter’s bedroom and hear my 5 year old reciting, “Can you blog with it?”, which prompts my 3 year old to say (with gusto), “No, It’s a Book!”. It has brought smiles to the faces of our entire family.

The only subsitute we made was for the name of the donkey. While my husband and 10 year old found the name, Jackass, hilarious, I’m not quite ready for my younger kiddos to add it to their vocabulary. So we just call him Jack. Once the girls are reading independently we may have to think of a new solution ;)

Cute, clever, and quirky! It’s a Book is a new family favorite!

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I LOVE this book! I read it today and was laughing out loud! The message the author is trying to send about our digital natives and what they are missing out on by not reading enough books, comes out loud and clear. The digital, techy language will be recognized by middle schoolers and the

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sarcasm/wit will be appreciated by all.

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This book has comic book like illustrations that show Monkey and Jackass interacting. The story line is slow, but funny because of its repetitiveness and characters. Children would enjoy the simple storyline and fun illustrations while adults can appreciate the implications about technology and

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reading.

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This is a great book that compares technology to literature.

It is a simple yet hilarious book where Jackass is so into technology that when his friend is reading a book he is confused as to what a book is. So he has to explain how amazing the book is as Jackass asks question after question about what a book is. As amazing as a computer can be to play and

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read on, a book can take you to a place no computer can ever do.

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I recived this picture book for review after seeing the trailer for it which I thought was brilliant and precious and funny as well as many other adjectives. And the book is just as cute. I've read this a couple of times to my son during his bedtime reading and he seems to like it too especially

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because I do voices for the ape and the donkey. The donkey doesn't understand that a book is not a complicated electronic device. It's a book as the ape tries to explain to him. It is very cute. My son likes it because of the voices and the pictures. I like it because of the subtle commentary of how the new generation will not understand such a simple concept. It's just a book.

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The last page of this nearly sent me out of my chair laughing. Absolutely brilliant.

It's the Abbott and Costello of the book world! i love it , my husband loves it and my children love it too! My eldest daughter had to show her boyfriend and so it has passed on and on around our friends and family as the go to book for humor!

I love this book! One friend I shared it with felt it was sad this book is necessary and while I agree a little I also feel like the times are what they are and this book does a great job of addressing, and poking fun at, the technology of the times. Even the simplicity pokes fun at the intricacies

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or our technological times. Good fun!

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Marvelous book, marketed as a juvenile picture book, but I think adults (who love books) will enjoy it as well. Fun, rough illustrations capture the personalities of a monkey (and his pet mouse), and a jackass as they "discuss" the merits of a traditional old-fashioned book vs. all of today's

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high-tech gadgets.

The punchline at the end, though predictable, is still grin-inducing! A fun read, and Monkey's attitude pretty much sums up my own towards the folks who behave like jackass does here.

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Children know so much about technology these days we need to remind them that there is fun in reading a real book. It is cute and cartoony with an ending that will make children laugh.

This is a picture book that uses a book reading Monkey and an overly technology based Jackass to show how things like books are less valued. The monkey is simply reading a book and the jackass tries to figure out every angle on the technological aspect of this strange book item.

The donkey can't figure out what is so cool about the book the ape is reading until he catches a quick glimpse. Then he's hooked.

Clever, funny, and timely. This book can show kids that although books don't have bells and whistles like many new things they are captivating, interesting and don't even need to be charged!

Summary- A jackass questions a monkey about the book he is reading. The jackass compares the book to his technological gadgets. He struggles to see the value of the book until he starts reading the book himself. This book made me laugh out loud at the bookstore. It connects with a big issue in

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literacy right now--technology!

Strength: Humor
The humor and ability to connect to the technology-book issues of today are this books greatest strength. The author does an incredible job of bringing out kids' desire for the newest plug-in over good old books. Every reading teacher or parent trying to get kids excited about books can relate to this story!

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This was a really fun read because there was a lot of humor to this one. It also seems wildly modern, as the entire story is a conversation between a monkey and a jackass. The monkey is reading, the jackass wants to know what a book is, and finds the concept of something you read with pages (and

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with no interactions like cell phones and Internet and even TV now have) incredibly perplexing. The illustrations, done by the author himself, have a great cartoonish exaggeration to them (and some visual humor, as when the Jackass is asking “where's the mouse?” and a mouse is perched on the Monkey's head). There is also a texture to the illustrations; the monkey, for example, looks fuzzy and velvety. This book also strikes me as one that even older kids would like, mostly due to the humor angle and the great punchline on the very last page. (The final line is kind of edgy...I'm wondering how many parents are going to raise a fuss about that.)

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This is a excellent little picture book that shows the reader how our society is changing. Lane Smith shows us that the value of reading an actual book without electronic interference is lost on people. The message is extremely relevant. The concept is somewhat adult and may not be suitable for

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some kids, however.

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A perfectly cute and fun little children's story for the non-techy, real book lover in us all.

What a fantastic and humorous book! I would use this book for older students (middle and above) to open up a discussion about today's culture and the amount of technology in our everyday lives. This is also a great book for adults.
The text is simple and easy to follow that keeps the reader engaged

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throughout the whole story.

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This was funny, and I enjoyed it, but I don't think it would be interesting or funny to a younger audience. I'd hand this to adults who maintain a sense of humour while struggling to get library books onto their ebook readers