Happiness is what you make it, and this story shows that anything can bring you happiness, even a box.

This book taught me two things:
1. Adults need their own picture books. Sometimes we need to be told in a roundabout, symbolic way that things are going to be all right, and kids' picture books can do this, but sometimes adults need things that specifically address adult problems.
2. The reader gets to decide what the story means, and one doesn't always need to express that meaning to others. It's okay to not worry about what other people say a story means, and one doesn't need to figure out what the story means if they don't want to. A story can just be.

So, I'll just say this will hit people in different ways, and it might not make sense to some people. That's fine. If it doesn't vibe with you, maybe you didn't need anything from it. Collectively, we all went through some complicated and rough shit, and this is a thought provoking response to that.

#NetGalley

Described as a children’s book for adults, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was a whimsical and reflective message, illustrated with a quirky style. I would recommend this to others but I also plan to read this to my class, I think that there is plenty of value for children and I expect that they would be able to access the various themes (growing up, possessions not making you happy, changing worldview, changing interests, the value of letting go etc.). A lovely read.

Do not let the beautiful cover, the picture-book format and the simple text confuse you. The Boy Who Loved Boxes: A Children’s Book for Adults is actually meant for adults — adults who are trying to make sense of the global pandemic. The isolation, stress, fear of the last two years can serve as a lens through which to look at one’s life and decide the best road to not wealth or self-improvement but peace. Definitely worth reading.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and The Weight of Ink in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting adult children's book. I read the whole thing, a bit confused to be honest, but the peace the man found in the end was well worth the read. Such a beautiful story!

📦 This one hit so hard 🥹

💬 Have you always had anxiety? Did the pandemic make it worse for you?

📦 I was pregnant during the pandemic. There is no anxiety I’ve ever felt quite like that one. Thinking about the terror I’m bringing this child into the world to deal with with no fault of their own. It weighed heavy.

📦 If there’s anything I love more than children’s books, it’s when they’re for adults. They just dig in that much more!

📦 This book is about a boy who, yes, LOVES boxes. But you come to find out that those boxes have a different purpose as he grows up. They carry his “complicating” things; emotions, feelings, & relationships. Then the world got sick, and his boxes came tumbling down. He needed to figure out a new box, and one that you can see through appeared.

📦 This book is for everyone. It’s written so simply and put together and packs a punch with its meaning and message.

@missbaileysbookworms

This was a really deep book for being so short. I actually read it twice to fully let the message sink in. I loved the bit about the "broken" pieces of yourself being allowed to be so visible in the box.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love the idea of a book for adults in the style of a childrens picture book. This story would definitely not work for children since it’s so abstract but it is a beautiful allegory for losing control and finding peace. It didn’t quite succeed in portraying that in my opinion.

Sadly, it wasn't my cup of tea. I would have liked to get something more out of it. I thought the idea behind the book was good, but the way it was presented was a bit lacluster.

Albanese and Wilkerson capture the unsettling nature of change and how we can benefit from accepting that some things are out of our control. A good read for young and old.

This book's title, cover and description sounded promising and I was eager to read. The story is about how a person can get lost during something a pandemic, and how their point of view (literally, their "boxes") can change. I really wanted to like this book, but for me, the allegory did not resonate. The text was not clear or specific enough to illustrate the author's concept, and the ending felt rushed and premature. I loved the illustrations, so hope someone else might read and enjoy this. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It was a nice and sweet illustrated story that was instantly relatable, though not as profound as I went in expecting (my bad)

A short simple read, with a depth of meaning.

Not sure if I should be comparing the art work with graphic novels, in comparison it does seem rather simplistic.

I did feel that the book, though meaningful, was rather too short.

It is rare that I read something, especially something so simple, that resonated so deeply. Possibly because I could completely relate with one's life descending into chaos because of the pandemic and having to rearrange my emotional expectations into something new. The illustrations were gorgeous with colors that popped and the message of the story left me feeling hopeful. It only took a few minutes to read but I am glad I did and this truly is a great Children's book for Adults.

What I loved the illustrations. Gorgeous! I also enjoyed simple the story that came with a lot to think about. How much can and should we try to exert control and order in our lives? How do we deal with change? Overall, this is a thoughtful, quick, and beautiful read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This book is not your average picture book. The story starts with a boy who turns into a man who likes his life organized in boxes. The metaphor of boxes is related to how many people felt they lost control during the pandemic and were left with a mess they needed to somehow put back together. I think it is an interesting metaphor but I’m not sure that most children would understand it. I think there is some great potential with this book, I’m just not sure how I would use it in my Grade 3 classroom. Perhaps a counselling or family setting might be more appropriate than in a classroom? I’m not sure. It is definitely an interesting story and has an important message about mental health and challenges people faced during and after the pandemic.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

In this age of "Stuff Shaming" I saw a pattern at the beginning of this book and assumed it would go there too. I am stunned.

Yes, it's also about control, but like "stuff," we are told that even appearing out of control (like having too much stuff) is basically evil.

Thinking about this, how much personal exploration are we stifling to appear in control? Do we only attempt things we're fairly sure we will be good at? Is a little mess bad, or just a different method of storage?

Like the boy/man in the story, do we choose boxes and stuff based on so little information, instead of looking for what we NEED? What will work best for us? Too often, I think so.

I found the ending to be very satisfying, because hiding things away--to provide outer order--also prevents us from seeing them.

Bravo, gentlemen! (Author and illustrator)
And thank you!

5/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the delightful free preview of this ebook. The review is voluntary.

#TheBoyWhoLovedBoxes #NetGalley

This is the book we all need right now. It is a book about trying to stay in control [even if it is stuff we have ZERO control over] and how the Covid-19 pandemic affects that.

This allegory really resonated with me [I have OCD and boxes are one of my most favorite things, often to the detriment of myself, as this book was quick to remind me again] and I think this will reach the exact people it needs to. Beautifully written and illustrated, this book truly is the book we all need right now [I said it twice because it NEEDED to be said again].

It is about grace, relinquishing control and finding peace and that is something that is so needed right now.

Highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Michael Albanese, Todd Wilkerson [Illustrator] and The Weight of Ink for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very somber. There wasn't much happiness too it. Only a hard lesson to learn. My kids and I loved the illustrations, but the story was very lacking in fun and attention grabbing with words alone.

The Boy Who Loved Boxes is a short but poignant book that expresses deep concepts like compartmentalizing, control, chaos, and peace with simplicity and warmth. The illustrations are wonderful and draw the reader through the story skillfully by using crisp line work and punches of color to convey emotions and purpose. In a pandemic-induced anxiety riddled world, this comic is both timely and hopeful. Five stars for content and creativity.