If you were worried about me ripping apart books before, you should call the book police on me now. No really. {#OccupyTheLibrary.} Laura Ljungkvist’s spreads in this book are just. too. genius. to be kept inside a book cover. Once upon a time my walls were plastered with NKOTB posters, and now I’m threatening with picture book illustrations? I guess I’m like that Benjamin Button character, getting younger with age.

Could be worse, I guess.

ELEMENT OF DESIGN: LINE

Beginning with that ‘F’ on the cover, a singular line swoops and straightens through each page. Much like Along A Road, the line continues on each page where it left off on the last.

Ljungkvist’s line cleverly wraps around a counting book. The line creates graphic forms on each page, and the reader is asked to count any number of quirky items formed by the line’s motion.

The continuous line is the only outline on the illustrations; all of the other images are filled with bright, bold colors, but have no outline. And speaking of the bright, bold colors, Ljungkvist’s color palette is sunny, yet muted, and made up of many unexpected color combinations. The graphic star of the show is the line, and the color palette enhances its role, but doesn’t overtake it.

I like to think of Follow The Line as a graphic design case study masquerading as a counting book. It is the month of Halloween, after all. Whatever it is, it’s irresistible! I dare you to get your hands on this and not want to E.T.-phone-home-trace the line from each page to the next.

No? Ok, fine. More wallpaper for me.