diff --git a/test.py b/test.py
index 6db04904..794dfcfe 100755
--- a/test.py
+++ b/test.py
@@ -457,10 +457,10 @@ def build_affected_books(rootdir, book_exceptions, file_exceptions,
     print("Queuing the following books for building:")
     for book in books:
         print("  %s" % os.path.basename(book))
-        pool.apply_async(build_book, book,
+        pool.apply_async(build_book, (book, ),
                          callback=logging_build_book)
     pool.close()
-    print("Building all books now...")
+    print("Building all queued %d books now..." % len(books))
     pool.join()
 
     any_failures = False
diff --git a/validate.py b/validate.py
index 63f163a2..1be79c0c 100755
--- a/validate.py
+++ b/validate.py
@@ -452,10 +452,10 @@ def build_affected_books(rootdir, book_exceptions, file_exceptions, force):
     print("Queuing the following books for building:")
     for book in books:
         print("  %s" % os.path.basename(book))
-        pool.apply_async(build_book, book,
+        pool.apply_async(build_book, (book, ),
                          callback=logging_build_book)
     pool.close()
-    print("Building all queued books now...")
+    print("Building all queued %d books now..." % len(books))
     pool.join()
 
     any_failures = False
@@ -467,7 +467,6 @@ def build_affected_books(rootdir, book_exceptions, file_exceptions, force):
             print(">>> Build of book %s failed (returncode = %d)."
                   % (book, returncode))
             print("\n%s" % output)
-
     if any_failures:
         sys.exit(1)