Why?
by Adam Rex
illustrated by Claire Keane
Date: 2019
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 60
Format: e-book
Source: library
A sweet and appealing tale for anyone familiar with the universal tendency of young children to always ask WHY? When supervillain Doctor X-Ray swoops in threatening to vanquish an innocent crowd, the only one brave enough not to run away is a little girl, who asks him simply, "Why?" He is taken aback—but he answers. She keeps asking. And he keeps answering—until a surprising truth is uncovered, and the villain is thwarted.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
Why? is sort of a therapy session between a would-be supervillain and a little girl, expressed in a comic-book format.
Doctor X-Ray swoops into the mall one day, threatening to take over the world. The only person who doesn't run is a little girl, who begins to question him with one simple word: Why? As the story comes out, we learn why the bad guy turned bad, and why he wants to accomplish his goal. There's actually a lot of story packed into this book, which is a quick read, despite its length.
The blurb recommends this book to kids between 3 and 5, but I think the actual message and humour would be lost on them. Older children (as well as parents) are more likely to understand what's going on, and depending on their age, will get why the repeated question is so amusing.
The illustrations by Claire Keane, though simple, work perfectly with the narrative. It's fun to see the duo of villain and child make their way through the mall, sharing snacks, sliding down bannisters, and even playing in the coin-operated ride-on toys.
Overall, this is a fun little picture book. Don't let its length put you off. The amusing ending is something you won't want to miss.
Quotable moment:
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall: 3.67 out of 5
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