Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
How? The Most Awesome Question and Answer Book
Illustrator: Scot Ritchie
Nonfiction
For ages 7 to 10
Owlkids Books, 2012 ISBN: 978-1926973241
As every parent, teacher, and babysitter knows, children are constantly asking questions. They want to know why the sky is blue, why cats purr, why tummies growl when you are hungry, and countless other things. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with all the questions, not to mention trying to find the right answers. Thankfully, there are authors who love to answer the kinds of questions that children like to ask, and grownups can turn to books like this one to help them cope with their ever curious children.
The book is divided into seven sections, and in each section the author answers at least ten questions. The first section answers questions about birthdays. If you need to know how birthday parties started, then you are in luck because the answer is here. As they explore this section, young children will learn that people have been wrapping birthday presents for about 120 years, and that the birthday song was composed by two sisters in the 1920’s.
Many of the questions children ask have something to do with pets. They want to know where pets come from, why dogs come in so many shapes, colors and sizes, and why hamsters like to run around in wheels. All the these questions and many others are answered in the pet section of this book.
Other sections in the book answer questions about libraries, illness, road trips, beaches, and airports.
Throughout the book, colorful illustrations accompany the text. Some of the illustrations are annotated to help children better understand what they are reading.
Readers who like this book would also enjoy reading “Why?” which is another question and answer book written by Catherine Ripley.
