Clowning Around with Numbers

Clowning Around with Numbers, written and illustrated by Justin Moroyan, is not your typical picture book because it is also a humor book, coffee table book, and concise art book which is best suited for young adults, and adults, who are able to fully appreciate the symbolism and complexities of the characters it contains. Nevertheless, it can also be enjoyed by younger audiences, who will appreciate its rhythmical rhyming, sing-song style, and open-minded views of others. The stories usually involve characters who are atypical, may feel awkward around other humans, or simply don't fit into society in unwritten, or unspoken, ways that seem to come instinctively for neurotypical individuals. Books by Justin Moroyan are surreal and sprinkled throughout with symbolism. As is usually the case with Moroyan's books, this one is filled to the brink with dark humor and inspired references. In this book, the characters manifest as clowns…Not the generically scary types of clowns that many people envision or see in their nightmares, like "It" or "Killer Clowns from Outer Space". Most clowns just want to make people smile and laugh. These clowns are more of the latter, although there are "secret" references to some scary clown movies which some people might pick up on. Picture books can prove to be beneficial, both psychologically and physically, for all ages. The poems contained in Clowning Around with Numbers are told in numerical order and are satirical representations of picture books one might have read when they were little. The number theme adds to the whimsical and inviting nature of the book, which in turn enhances its many morsels of dark and light humor. This is a book that can be enjoyed repeatedly, while revealing new, exciting matters as one delves deeper into its curious and addictive perspectives each time.