‘Reverse psychology’ picture book tops bestsellers chart

Radio host Andy Lee’s debut picture book Do Not Open This Book, illustrated by Heath McKenzie, has topped the Australian picture book bestsellers chart for June. The book, which was written as a gift for Lee’s one-year-old nephew and released in Australia last year, uses reverse psychology to encourage children to keep reading. Rights have already been sold in more than 20 territories, including the US, UK, China, Germany, Brazil and France, with the publisher, Lake Press, continuing to field discussion in ‘several other markets’. The remainder of the picture book bestsellers list is made up of titles from much-loved Australian authors Mem Fox and Aaron Blabey. Fox’s first book Possum Magic—which is number three on the picture book bestsellers chart—was first published in 1983 and has since sold more than four million copies.

Australian picture book bestsellers: June

1. Do Not Open This Book regular and plush toy edition (Andy Lee, Lake Press)
2. Where Is the Green Sheep? (Mem Fox, Puffin)
3. Possum Magic (Mem Fox, Omnibus Books)
4. Busting! (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
5. I’m Australian Too (Mem Fox, Scholastic)
6. Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
7. Thelma the Unicorn boxed set mini edition (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
8. The Very Sleepy Bear (Nick Bland, Scholastic)
9. Pig the Fibber (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
10. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes board book (Mem Fox, Puffin).

© Nielsen BookScan 2017
Period covered: 28 May 2017 to 1 July 2017
Data supplied by Nielsen BookScan’s book sales monitoring system from 1000 retailers nationwide

Category: Think Junior bestsellers