Book Review: Think Outside the Box (OT) (blue, yellow and orange cut-out lessons)

Think Outside the Box, by Justine Avery (Suteki Creative, 36 pp, 2020, $9.59, ages 8-12)

Author Justine Avery has created another unique little book but this one needs a little bit of 'splaining for this reviewer. 

First of all, illustrator Liuba Syrotiuk has produced numerous original illustrations that can only be described as paper cut-outs so they look 3D with shadows - lots to see, focus on, and discuss. However, they don't always seem to fit the prose - or if they do, it is not immediately obvious which is what you want in a children's book (not necessarily in a literary work of art, though). Other illustrations are simply very illustrative and flow easily within the overall colors of blue, yellow and orange.

And, secondly, the flow of the book mirrors the title, with little added development. Even adults often prefer stories more than straightforward lectures. This book preached rather than let us discover the obvious lessons through words, stories and pictures - which makes the lessons harder to remember and apply in daily life, growing up. The good advice in Think Outside the Box is generally advice you have heard before, but some pages are spot-on and definitely worthwhile in new ways to remember like the following one:

"Thinking outside the box is like. . . Coloring outside the lines - on purpose! It's like trying to run a race the slowest. Or eating an ice cream cone from the bottom up"