I Wonder Why [Hardcover]

Lois Rock (Author), Christopher Corr (Illustrator)

Book Description

From the time children can talk, they bombard those around them with endless questions. Why, in the dawn light, are the clouds pink? Why do some animals crawl or run, while others fly? Why is grass green and a flower bright? Amusing, touching and thought-provoking, this lively, illustrated book with its lyrical text celebrates curiosity and will make readers of every age see the worldaround them with childlike wonder.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-A loosely rhyming text explores a child's relationship to the natural world and expresses wonder at the world of nature. The text flows through the pages of highly stylized illustrations that look childlike but have an artistic sophistication similar to psychedelic work of decades past. This book is a fine piece of work but might have difficulty finding an audience. The pictures are interesting and engaging with every inch of page covered with brightly colored people and objects and backgrounds in different hues. The text is best read aloud to a group, but then artwork can't be appreciated. The rhyming text is uneven and it is sometimes difficult to maintain the rhythm, but the content is important to share. A creative adult could use this for discussion or to lead into many areas of science, caring, questioning, or other directions.

Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 4-7. Questions abound in this colorful picture book in which kids wonder about all sorts of things in their world. Some questions can serve as springboards for older children to research: "And why is grass green and the flowers so bright? And how do seeds know they should grow to the light?" Others will inspire kids to look inward: "What shall I do now my life has begun? Which things make me happy? Which things are most fun?" Still others call for youngsters to make judgments and predictions: "If we could touch rainbows, would red feel hot, / The green a bit cooler, and the violet--well, what?" The rhyming text has a nice flow and strikes a good balance with the questions, which range from lighthearted to serious, concrete to abstract. Corr's vibrant, childlike illustrations jump off the page with bright colors, bold shapes, and patterns. Some children may be able to tackle this alone, but group discussion led by an adult will work best. Youngsters may even want to make their own similar books as an extension activity. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Edition first Printing edition (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811831698
• ISBN-13: 978-0811831697
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,632,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Questioning Strategies, June 11, 2010

By 

Carrie L. Jekogian - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Wonder Why (Hardcover)

This book is fabulous for helping kids to learn to ask questions. Every page is, "I wonder why" & the photos are just amazing - real pieces of art from the Getty Museum in CA.