ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, bˈɪlaʊts fˈɜːst tʃˈɪldɹənz bˈʊk, nˈʌmbɚ twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ wʌz ɹᵻvjˈuːd baɪ nˈuː jˈɔːɹk tˈaɪmz bˈʊk ɹᵻvjˈuː ˈɔːθɚ sˈɛlmə dʒˈiː. lˈeɪnz, hˌuː kˈɔːld ɪt "ɐ sɚɹˈiːəl wˈɜːk, æz mɪstˈɪɹiəs æz ɐ ɹˈuːmfəl ʌv ɹᵻnˈeɪ mˈæɡɹɪt pˈeɪntɪŋz."
In 1973, Billout's first children's book, Number 24 was reviewed by New York Times Book Review author Selma G. Lanes, who called it "a surreal work, as mysterious as a roomful of René Magritte paintings."