On one hand, this is a children’s nonfiction book. Gonyea takes complicated ideas of design and uses simple shapes, bold colors, and humorous layouts to explain graphic design to children. He addresses the relationship between objects, diagonal versus straight lines, contrast, usage of letters, color, and balance.
On the other hand, this book makes a fabulous joke gift for adult designers, who would more acutely appreciate the humor Gonyea weaves into his deceptively simple narration. An (adult) freelance web designer friend to whom I read this book remarked, “That would make a great Christmas gift” for our mutual friend, another web designer who majored in graphic design.
While still remaining entirely appropriate for children, Gonyea subtly pokes fun at every poorly-designed poster that filled its free space with complicated funky fonts, WordArt and clip art pictures.
Reviewed by Marisa Behan
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