It's a tug-of-war between author and illustrator in this humorous (and highly abnormal) picture-book about animals, as Julie Segal-Walters introduces a series of creatures, only to suggest that they could be something else, if they had different qualities and characteristics. Illustrator Brian Biggs, in the meantime, protests along the way, finally drawing the line at depicting a blobfish. Or does he...?

First-time picture-book author Segal-Walters takes advantage of the recent spate of meta-fictional stories for the younger set with This Is Not a Normal Animal Book, setting up a narrative in which author and illustrator get to entertain the reader by arguing with one another. I was reminded a bit of a number of titles in which the characters argue, either with their creator (Mélanie Watt's Chester and its sequels), or with their reader (Adam Lehrhaupt's Warning Do Not Open This Book!). Truthfully, although I appreciated this variant on the ever-more common meta-fictional picture-book, and although I found the inclusion of a blobfish interesting - blobfish also seem to be getting popular these days - I cannot say that I was quite as amused as I'd expected to be. Still, tastes vary, and many readers will undoubtedly appreciate the quirky humor here, and the bright, multi-media illustrations. ( )

This picture book is a winner. It's funny and witty, and plays on the interaction between the narrator and the illustrator. The book starts off as an "animal book" describing animals, but it quickly veers into fun hijinks as the narrator switches things up ("If the cat laid an egg. . . it would be a hen") and the illustrator lags behind, fighting the unexpected turns. Kids will love the humor, the fun illustrations, and the escalating wackiness. ( )