Review - Just Because

Just Because
by Mac Barnett
illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Date: 2019
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Curious minds are rewarded with curious answers in a fantastical bedtime book by Mac Barnett and Isabelle Arsenault.

Why is the ocean blue? What is the rain? What happened to the dinosaurs? It might be time for bed, but one child is too full of questions about the world to go to sleep just yet. Little ones and their parents will be charmed and delighted as a patient father offers up increasingly creative responses to his child’s nighttime wonderings. Any child who has ever asked “Why?” — and any parent who has attempted an explanation — will recognize themselves in this sweet storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “Just because.”

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Though this might look like a book for children, it's not. It's for adults, aimed at those who already know the answers to lots of basic questions and can appreciate the creativity of the answers in this book. Children are often credulous. A book like this will only serve to confuse.

A little girl is going to bed, and she asks all sorts of questions of her father. His answers are fantastical and imaginative... but they're not truthful. I can just imagine the embarrassment and feeling of betrayal when a child tries to tell their teacher, "My dad says the ocean is blue because fish sing sad songs and cry blue tears," and is subsequently told that daddy lied.

The illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault are kind of fun (especially for fans of her work). The limited colour palette is kind of an odd choice here, though, since the story is dealing with such... well, colourful ideas.

I don't think I could recommend this as a children's book. If adults want to read it, they might get more out of it. But I think it would be confusing as heck to many children.

Premise: 1/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5