(2) PS "What makes a good day for you?" As Daniel (Daniel Finds a Poem) walks through his busy city neighborhood to spend the day with his grandmother, he asks that question of everyone he meets. Archer's vivid, detailed collage illustrations draw readers into the vibrant scenes. The sense of community is palpable and uplifting, and the portrait of Daniel's close-knit brown-skinned family is positive and welcome.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mélanie Florian. Marcy's excited to be the question-asker at her Passover seder, since "she knew a lot about questions. She asked them all the time." But her four questions--e.g., "Are worms kosher for Passover?"--aren't what her family expected. It's a gentle misunderstanding with a satisfying resolution; cartoonlike, emotive illustrations capture Marcy's enthusiasm. The actual Four Questions (and their answers) are included.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) K-3 Just Ask! series. Carson presents facts about tigers in a question-and-answer format, connecting information about tigers' size and appearance, behavior, habitats, and feeding patterns to experiences relatable to children: e.g., "Can a tiger sleep on the sofa?" Lots of engaging photographs of big cats close up and in the wild are set against colorful backgrounds in a lively design. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Just Ask! series. This well-organized question-and-answer book leads readers through a selection of facts, including descriptions of sharks and related species, their food sources, and how they care for their young. The questions range from standard, such as a focus on shark teeth, to creative connections to science concepts ("Do sharks fly?"). Lots of up-close shark photographs are set against colorful backgrounds. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) PS Illustrated by Fred Koehler. "What if...all the words in the universe disappeared? / Then we would invent a whole new language." Dotlich presents eight other intense "What if...?" scenarios that provoke thought, entertain, and, as a bonus, may offer reassurance for high-anxiety young readers. Playing out the hypothetical scenes in Koehler's mixed-media art are two polar bears who navigate their boat through a comfortingly cartoonish Arctic setting.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Illustrated by Kenard Pak. In a book intended to get the wheels of one's mind turning, Holt presents a series of questions children might pose. These vary in tone: playful (thoughts about belly buttons and breakfast cereal); scientific (questions about insects and galaxies); empathetic (does your teddy bear have feelings?); and metaphysical (could the ocean be merely a giant water bottle?). There are also absorbing linguistic queries, including one that plays with homophones: "Do tires get tired?" Many of the questions will generate laughs--for one, the notion that a sandwich gets mad when you bite it--and all of them would make effective writing prompts in elementary classrooms. Pak plays with perspective in his velvety, soft-focus illustrations; we get both indoor and outdoor aerial views, as well as views from the ground when, say, the text wonders if grasshoppers need hopping lessons. All the images are full-bleed; no borders can contain all the astonishment in a book that is an imaginative exploration of the word wonder. "I wonder why I wonder so much," a child asks toward the book's close, answered by "because you are wonderful." A tribute to the inquisitiveness of children, one that understands that the questions alone can be thrilling.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jaime Kim. When everyone asks a light brown–skinned girl the titular question, she's confused: "I'm from here." Then Abuelo takes her on a dreamy tour, from South America's Pampas to a warm island to "this land where our ancestors...were in chains." Most importantly, though, she's from Abuelo's "love and the love of all those before us." Warm watercolor and digital art illustrates the overt but useful story.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez. Sayre steers kids toward understanding and getting the most out of the powerful tool of question-asking. Beginning with the basic "why ask questions?" ("They help you get information"), the brief main text introduces different types of questions, how and when to ask them, and what a question is not. With their energetic cartoon vibe, Hernandez's illustrations, featuring a diverse classroom of inquisitive kids, will draw readers in to this valuable communication lesson. The bottom line for posing questions to anyone: think before you ask.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) K-3 This German import introduces important philosophical ideas to young children with respect for their capacity to wonder: "How will I see the world when I grow up?" "Why am I afraid of what I don't know?" Teckentrup's illustrations, reminiscent of block prints, successfully use color, shape, and texture to convey the feelings behind the "big questions" and invite readers to explore their world.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Translated by Sophie B. Watson. Illustrated by Delphie Côté-Lacroix. Two adults become friends (and maybe more) by turning a chance encounter into deep understanding. Over drinks at a café, they share the respective disabilities (Leon's "small problem with [his] eyes" and Florence's with her lungs) they've had since childhood and ask honest questions. Black-and-white illustrations, accented with red, yellow, and blue, suit a story (translated from the French) that is at once simple and full of empathy and feeling.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Clues written in the first person coupled with illustrations of each animal's tail end encourage readers to guess which animal's head will appear on the following page. Among the mostly predictable answers, a couple of twists are included. Canty's delicate watercolor and mixed-media illustrations are in muted tones and are "adapted from nineteenth-century artwork."

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(3) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. "What can a cat do?" This broad question sets the foundation for an easy reader exploring the abilities (running, drinking, climbing) and limitations (crowing, flying, reading) of felines. As the text focuses on simple word families, sight words, and animals that beginning readers will recognize, Carle's classic, uncluttered cut-paper illustration style also aids their understanding. Reading comprehension questions are appended.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) K-3 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen. Through first-person-plural narration translated from the Dutch, two siblings discuss the death of their dog, Scout, and field their younger brother's questions about what comes next for their deceased pet ("Can she run across the clouds?"). The children largely go unseen--the text is printed on Scout's silhouette, which is set against different solid-color backgrounds--limiting an otherwise affecting meditation.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Middle schoolers Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi are selected for a secret ten-thousand-dollar scholarship contest requiring they solve three clues each. What is the scholarship's connection to prankster billionaire Enoch Ambrose's recent death, and why were these three selected as contestants? This puzzle novel with heart blends the devious complexity of The Westing Game and Chasing Vermeer with its own twists and intriguing contemporary-world connections.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sean Qualls. Young Zazi and Ziwelene find a photo of their great-grandfather, Nelson Mandela, at their grandmother's house, which inspires them to ask her about him. The book's question-and-answer narrative seems contrived ("Why did Grandad go to jail?"; "What is justice?"), but Grandma Zindzi's answers are nimbly worded. Qualls's acrylic, collage, and colored-pencil art has a stateliness worthy of the book's subject.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by M. S. Corley. Reynolds presents stories of thirty-five people--some well-known (Nelson Mandela, Hillary Rodham Clinton); some less recognizable (Maryam Mirzakhani, Erik Weihenmeyer)--who experienced failure before attaining their goals. Additional "Flop Files" and sidebars briefly introduce others who were initially unsuccessful. Direct questions and an informal tone should engage readers. One hundred additional questions about success and failure are appended. A thoughtful challenge to kids who think perfection is required.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 World Around Us series. Illustrated by Jane Heinrichs. Meant to introduce young readers to the topic of poverty, this book poses questions--such as "Why do people have to sleep on the street?"--and answers them in a straightforward manner. Homelessness and restricted access to education and healthcare are all discussed as types of poverty. Serviceable illustrations and stock photographs (with examples primarily of urban poverty) illustrate the purposeful, accessible text. Websites.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 As a family observes different animals, the kids wonder if each one is a mammal. A conversational question-and-answer text, illustrated with clear ink and watercolor pictures, eliminates animal characteristics (e.g., animals without bones) one by one from mammal classification. This is a straightforward introduction even the youngest learners can understand. Back matter includes additional facts and a chart showing how different kinds of life are classified. Reading list.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Head to Tail series. Illustrated by Kwanchai Moriya. As usual with this picture book series, a guessing-game format ("What bird has a head like this?") will engage young kids as they learn facts about eight birds and their different body parts. Illustrated with eye-catching collage depictions of each bird, the kid-appealing text presents information simply and without condescension. "Other Awesome Birds" are mentioned at book's end.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons. As verse in an informal typeface poses kid-like questions related to human skin (Why do I sweat?; What causes warts?), a reply in regular type provides rhymed, scientific answers. Occasional "Cool Facts About..." prose sections break from the poetic Q-and-A format and provide more substantial information. Witty digital spot art appears on each thick, glossy page. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges