FICTION

The Curious Why

by Angela DiTerlizzi (text) & illus. by Lorena Alvarez Gómez
Little, Brown. (The Magical Yet: Bk. 2). May 2024. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780316500142.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 3–A richly colored paean to the pleasures of interest and inquiry. DiTerlizzi and Alvarez Gómez’s follow-up to The Magical Yet is another hyper-positive, bouncily rhymed cheerleader text meant to inspire and encourage bored or frustrated readers. With rhythms that nod to Dr. Seuss and that perennial graduation favorite, Oh The Places You’ll Go!, and a glowing, hyper-saturated palette that wouldn’t be out of place in a Pixar film, the pages of this book seem destined for a future of re-use as inspirational posters for library purchase. The Curious Why itself is personified as a leafy sprite who leads the protagonist (you) and friends through lushly detailed landscapes and learning environments, but seems extraneous as a character.
VERDICT Like its predecessor in the series, this book will appeal largely as a classroom read rather than a title for readers to choose themselves, but its positive message will be welcomed in many educational settings.
Reviewed by Katya Schapiro , May 31, 2024

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