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Keri Smith
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This Is Not a Book Paperback – Illustrated, September 1, 2009

by Keri Smith (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 894 ratings
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From the internationally bestselling creator of Wreck This Journal, a curious, engaging, and creative rethinking of all the different things a book can be.

In this uniquely skewed look at the purpose and function of a “book”, Keri Smith offers an illustrated guide that challenges readers to creatively examine all the different ways This Is Not a Book can be used. With intriguing prompts, readers will discover that the book can be:

A secret message—tear out a page, write a note on it for a stranger, and leave it in a public place.

A recording device—have everyone you contact today write their name in the book.

An instrument—create as many sounds as you can using the book, like flipping the pages fast or slapping the cover.

This Is Not a Book forces you to ask, “If it’s not a book, what is it then?”—with a kaleidoscope of possible answers.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Books
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.47 x 0.52 x 8.2 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0399535217
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0399535215
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for This is Not a Book

“By the time you finish with This is Not a Book, it may look like a well-used journal, a bulky photo album, an organized scrapbook, or a combination of all three. . . . [Smith’s] tasks are diverse and short in explanation, but they all push you to think, create or experience.” —Curled Up with a Good Book

“This is Not a Book is fun, creative and makes you think outside the box.” —Just One More Thing


Praise for Keri Smith

“Keri Smith may well be the self-help guru this DIY generation deserves.” —The Believer

“A conceptual artist and author luring kids into questioning the world and appreciating every smell, texture and mystery in it.” —TIME Magazine

About the Author

Keri Smith is a bestselling author, illustrator, and thinker. Her books include Wreck This Journal, The Wander Society, This is Not a Book, How to Be an Explorer of the World, Mess, Finish This Book, The Pocket Scavenger, Wreck This Journal Everywhere, Everything Is Connected, and The Imaginary World of... as well as Wreck This App, This is Not an App, and the Pocket Scavenger app. She enjoys spending time with her husband, experimental musician Jefferson Pitcher, and two children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399535217
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399535215
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.47 x 0.52 x 8.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 894 ratings

About the author

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Keri Smith

Keri Smith

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Keri Smith is an author/illustrator turned guerilla artist. She is the author of several bestselling books about creativity including How to be an Explorer of the World -the Portable Life/Art Museum,( 2008 Perigee), Wreck this Journal (2007 Perigee). Her newest book, This is Not a Book will be released fall 2009 by Penguin Books. She is the author of the popular weblog the Wish Jar which attracts over 10,000 readers daily, and writes on occasion for a variety of magazines (including How Magazine). Keri spends her days playing with her husband and son, and divides her time between upstate New York, and the countryside of Canada.

As a free lance illustrator she has worked for a wide variety of clientsworldwide. Most recently Random House, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Ford Motor Co., the Boston Globe, Galison/Mudpuppy Press, and Hallmark. In the last few years she has given lectures and workshops on the topic of "living creatively" for the How Design Conference, the OntarioGraphic Artist's Assocation, UC Davis, and schools across North America.She has been featured in How, Step by Step, Print, Bust, Wired and many more.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
894 global ratings
Entertaining
5 Stars
Entertaining
This is a great item to buy a creative spirit!! I purchased one in my late 20s and I used many pages. Loved going on Pinterest to get ideas!!
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Top reviews from the United States

kayla
5.0 out of 5 stars This is not a review.
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
So many new prompts to follow, Keri Smith does not disappoint.

This is an inspiring and fun interactive "not Book". It includes themes like: Create a new identity, Leave book somewhere overnight. Some pages tell you to turn to other pages, some want you to draw or make a list. Some call for you to alter the book in some way. This is great for an artist, writer or for boredom. Recommended for anyone.
5 people found this helpful
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The Honest Truth
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is a great item to buy a creative spirit!! I purchased one in my late 20s and I used many pages. Loved going on Pinterest to get ideas!!
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The Honest Truth
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
This is a great item to buy a creative spirit!! I purchased one in my late 20s and I used many pages. Loved going on Pinterest to get ideas!!
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One person found this helpful
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Shaylin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great project
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2010
Verified Purchase
I bought this book to do with my husband, who just so happens to be my BFF as well, To bring us closer and teach us more about ourselves and each other. Well we just got it today and I gotta tell you it was one of the best things I could have spent my money on. We are already having a blast with it. Which is of course the main goal. We were reading the first task: keep this book with you in full view at all times. And it says in the beginning taht only you can decide how to use this-is not a- book, and only you can interpret the instructions how ever you see them, Well we asked ourselves WHY should we do this task, well to us that instruction is meant so that at any given time when ever we feel inspiration strike or a moment of creativity we can just grab it and get creative on that page. for him that means drawing something for me it means writing down an idea. And yet for somebody else that instruction might have a totally different purpose. So you can see how this book really brings out your creativity and forces you to think, and even will teach you somethings about yourself that maybe you did not know before. If you are going to spend your money on a book I highly recommend this one.
49 people found this helpful
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C. Bennett
4.0 out of 5 stars Very... interesting book.
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2013
Verified Purchase
If you're wondering... This Is Not A Book is a book about what you want to make of it. Hahaha, see what I did there? Yeah? No? Oh well... anyway, its a GREAT companion book to F NISH TH S BO K by her or her other book Destroy This Journal. I, personally, thought this was really interesting. If you like puzzle books, you should check this out. See if your friend or family member has one and look through it.
14 people found this helpful
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altipton
5.0 out of 5 stars My (almost) 14-year-old niece is thrilled.
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2012
Verified Purchase
I was having difficulty deciding what to get our almost 14-year-old niece for her birthday. After reading the reviews and checking out the "Look Inside" features, I decided to get this book and also "Wreck This Journal" (duct tape version), also by Keri. Our niece is on the mature side for her age, but I realized I would have loved this when I was in school. The reaction was great! She instantly started filling in both books. Both books are similar, but different. She hardly put the book down for the rest of the night, as far as we could tell. We were at her house for several hours after she opened her gifts and she was busy with a pen almost the entire time. Very happy with my purchase. I can't give a specific review on either book as I can't remember which activities were in which book, but she was laughing and enjoying them all. At one time, there was a very loud thud on the floor. We all jumped. It was just my niece throwing her book across the room and laughing. I guess one of the books told her to do so. It was so funny once we realized what had happened.
31 people found this helpful
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Alissa Coberly
5.0 out of 5 stars FUN!!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023
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No complaints :)
One person found this helpful
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summer tirrell
5.0 out of 5 stars This is not a book...
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
I like this book but I bought it new and someone already wrote in the first two pages then on the second page Erased what they had and I’m a germ freak so it freaks me out to know someone named Juliet has had her hands on this book :/ but other then that I do like it..
2 people found this helpful
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Amanda Barnes
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as fun as Wreck this Jounal
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
I bought this as friends recommended to try it after I had bought "Wreck this Journal". This book seems to have a lot of the same things to do in it and it is not quite as fun. It is nice for passing the time if you don't have anything else to do. I think a teenager would benefit the most from this book.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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GHILA
5.0 out of 5 stars Regalare un libro fa bene alla cultura
Reviewed in Italy on July 14, 2022
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Regalo
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M
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a fun workbook!
Reviewed in Canada on September 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is not a book by Keri Smith *a flip through* is a video I did on YouTube my channel name Curiosidades Extrano. I found her books very interesting and they are good tool for an artist that feels stuck it really gets the wheels rolling. In my video I did a flip through because I found it a bit frustrating when looking to buy her books that I couldn't see more of what was inside. I've been told that the video is very helpful and has made people want to buy the book even more. I hope you find it helpful and that is the reason I did the video. It's such a fun workbook.
4 people found this helpful
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Aaryan Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Creativity and Elegant
Reviewed in India on December 19, 2018
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A book Full of Creativity
One person found this helpful
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kiki76
5.0 out of 5 stars Top
Reviewed in France on August 6, 2017
Verified Purchase
Similaire au bouquin français saccage ce carnet sauf que dans cette version anglaise certaines pages sont en couleur contrairement à la version française où tout est en noir et blanc donc un peu moins de liberté pour le,mélange des couleurs et la créativité
Sinon au top !!!
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Martha
5.0 out of 5 stars lustig und kreativ!
Reviewed in Germany on July 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
Dieses "Nicht-Buch" macht unheimlich viel Spaß! Zum Empfehlen wenn jemand bisschen Kreativität in sein Leben einführen will oder Ablenkung vom Alltag braucht.
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