HOW DO I WONDER?

Wondering is fun, and children deserve to know that no one else thinks exactly like they do.

The pale-skinned, bespectacled narrator assures readers at the outset that if they’re curious about things, there’s a place to go “to question and daydream and let your brain grow.” Where? “It’s right in your head, in your thinker, your mind.” This child has clearly explored this terrain before and lets kids know that “not all the questions need answers defined.” The narrator delivers charming examples in lilting verse: “Where does the wind go? / And where does it rest? / Do rainbows have homes? / In a shell or a nest?” Readers may never have considered those imponderables before, but they will now, thanks to this wise, stimulating book that also delivers a gentle message about mindfulness: “Slow down and breathe in, all the way to your heart. Eyes closed and mind open, your journey will start.” Notably, kids are reminded that thinking doesn’t require equipment or technology: “Brains are like magic, they make their own joy. They really don’t need lights, screens, or toys.” Children will be intrigued to learn that grown-ups themselves ponder some of the queries included here; adults sharing this volume should encourage kids to discuss questions occupying their minds. The colorful, imaginative illustrations serve the text very well. Background characters are diverse.

A thought-provoking tale with a much-needed message: The mind is a place of limitless wonders.