Between the years of 1955 and 1958, Italian creator Gianni Rodari wrote two newspaper columns for kids: “The Mailbox of Whys” and “The Book of Whys.” With pleasant illustrations by JooHee Yoon, The Book of Whys revisits Rodari’s whimsical responses to questions despatched in by kids all through Italy. In a short introduction, translator Antony Shugaar explains that Rodari replied not solely “with the simplest and soberest of answers” but additionally “with wild imaginings that utterly reframed conventional thought until a purer logic shone through.”
The assortment begins with a query positive to captivate younger readers: “Why are grownups always right?” Rodari’s endearing rhymed verse response concludes with a affirmation “that ‘grownups’ are always right / Except for when they’re wrong.” This willingness to interact with uncertainty is a trademark of Rodari’s type, as is the best way he strikes from science to historic historical past to crazy digressions, like in his reply to the query, “Why can cats see in the dark?” which begins severely however concludes with verses about cats lamenting how they “can only dream of bacon.” Rodari additionally performs with proverbs, typically to problem them. When responding to the query “Why is gold so precious?” he refers back to the “silence is golden” proverb, noting the way it isn’t at all times true, particularly when addressing injustice: “Those in the wrong just keep on going if those in the right have nothing to say.” In this fashion, Rodari invitations his readers to interact with bigger questions,together with moral ones.
Yoon’s illustrations are an apt accompaniment to this assortment: easy and easy coloured pencil drawings evoking a childlike really feel. Each piece gives a splash of coloration in addition to a definite design factor, with some illustrations filling an entire web page, others occupying solely a small nook, and some extra uncommon selections, such because the two-page unfold that includes a border of strolling figures. Together, artwork and textual content mix for a novel,wonder-driven work that may please adults and youngsters alike.
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