BUZZ! BOOM! BANG!

Originally published in Germany, this compendium of silent sequences begs young readers to provide those sorely missing sound effects.

There’s no denying the first sentence of this title: “THIS BOOK IS MEANT TO BE READ ALOUD!” Fear not. Further instructions inform readers precisely what they should do: Read each sound that they see. The catch? The book’s creator has left every image wordless; it’s up to readers to think up the sound effects. Some sequences prove to be difficult to encapsulate in sound (what does licking a lemon sound like?). Others are quite obvious, and the tale’s delight lies in the pairings of visuals on each two-page spread. The buzz of race cars around a track mimics the buzz of flies around a small pile of poop. And yes, a bit of bawdiness comes into play, as when the fizzled explosion of a cannon is accompanied by an image of a surprised-looking adult unexpectedly farting. The brightly colored art makes bold interpretations of simple scenes, but it’s this very cartoonishness that offers young readers clarity on what’s being portrayed. The sequences are also quite intentional, deftly leading from one sound to the next, as with one passage that begins with someone screaming and ends with another character lightheartedly jeering at readers. Figures encompass a range of skin tones.

An eclectic, original book in which creativity is key.