Author guide
Joost Elffers Books in Order
Joost Elffers is a Dutch-born author, artist, and book producer based in New York City. His work spans visual puzzle books, architecture and textile design, photographic books about carved food, children's books, astrology reference works, and cultural manifestos. He has collaborated with Michael Schuyt, Susan Meller, Saxton Freymann, Gary Goldschneider, Mirja de Vries, Michael Schwarz, and RJ Roger.
nonfictionart and designvisual culturepuzzleschildren's books
Joost Elffers's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Tangram: The Ancient Chinese Shapes Game
The earliest major standalone work and a clear introduction to Elffers's visual-puzzle practice.
Play with Your Food
The foundational collaborative work for his best-known photographic children's series.
The Secret Language of Birthdays: Personology Profiles for Each Day of the Year
The foundational volume of the Secret Language reference series.
Read in order
Books by series
nonfiction series · completed
The Secret Language
A reference series applying astrology and personology to birthdays, relationships, destiny, and teenage life.
- 1 The Secret Language of Birthdays: Personology Profiles for Each Day of the YearAmazon ↗
Book 1 · reference · 1994
- 2
The Secret Language of Relationships: Your Complete Personology Guide to Any Relationship with AnyoneAmazon ↗Book 2 · reference · 1997
- 3
The Secret Language of Destiny: A Personology Guide to Finding Your Life PurposeAmazon ↗Book 3 · reference · 1999
- 4
The Secret Language of Birthdays: Teen EditionAmazon ↗Book 4 · young adult reference · 2010 Optional
children's nonfiction series · completed
Play with Your Food
A photographic children's series created with Saxton Freymann using carved fruits and vegetables as humorous figures and scenes.
- 1 Play with Your FoodAmazon ↗
Book 1 · children's nonfiction · 1997
- 2 Play with Your PumpkinsAmazon ↗
Book 2 · children's nonfiction · 1998
- 3
How Are You Peeling?: Foods with MoodsAmazon ↗Book 3 · children's nonfiction · 1999
- 4 One Lonely Sea HorseAmazon ↗
Book 4 · children's picture book · 2000
- 5 Dr. Pompo's NoseAmazon ↗
Book 5 · children's picture book · 2000
- 6
Gus and ButtonAmazon ↗Book 6 · children's picture book · 2001
- 7 Dog FoodAmazon ↗
Book 7 · children's picture book · 2002
- 8 Baby FoodAmazon ↗
Book 8 · children's picture book · 2003
- 9
Food for Thought: The Complete Book of Concepts for Growing MindsAmazon ↗Book 9 · children's nonfiction · 2005
- 10 Fast FoodAmazon ↗
Book 10 · children's picture book · 2006
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (6)
- Tangram: The Ancient Chinese Shapes GameAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 1974
- Anamorphoses: Games of Perception and Illusion in ArtAmazon ↗
visual nonfiction · 1975
- Cat's Cradles and Other String FiguresAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 1979
- Fantastic Architecture: Personal and Eccentric VisionsAmazon ↗
visual nonfiction · 1980
-
Textile Designs: Two Hundred Years of European and American Patterns for Printed Fabrics Organized by Motif, Style, Color, Layout, and PeriodAmazon ↗art and design nonfiction · 1991
- The Don: 36 Rules of the BossesAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 2024
