HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED?

Weaver’s picture book invites readers and their young audiences to reflect on what it means to play, dream, grow, and even fail, among other deeply human traits.

This book offers a series of cleverly rhyming questions, and each “answer” arrives as another thoughtful query, as seen in this meaningful passage about finding the power of one’s own voice: “Could speaking up for others show that you are truly strong? Because you stand with courage when you feel that something’s wrong?” Over the course of the book, Weaver skillfully highlights the quiet power of trying, learning, and laughing, while also exploring other, more abstract emotional terrain. For example, one especially resonant moment asks: “Have you ever wondered….If it were brave to cry, to stomp, or spend some time alone—so that you know how strong you are when you are on your own?” Such thoughtfully crafted rhymes unfold across Soylu’s painterly illustrations on double-page spreads. The saturated, colorful images feature an endearing, pale-skinned young boy and girl as they navigate each scenario, adding warmth, depth, and dynamic visual storytelling to every page, all of which makes this book a perfect read-aloud for groups of young listeners.

A vibrant, meaningful, and optimistic book for kids.