Why?

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Why?

Title:

Why?

Author:

Rex, Adam, author.

Keane, Claire, illustrator.

Summary:

Would-be supervillain Doctor X-Ray swoops into the mall, threatening destruction, only to be confronted by a little girl asking "why" to his every declaration, until finally he is forced to reveal, and understand, the root of his anger--and so departs in peace.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 24 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Supervillains -- Juvenile fiction.

Bullying -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-evaluation -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-perception -- Juvenile fiction.

Interpersonal communication -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Keane, Claire,

Publisher:

Chronicle Books,

Publication Date:

2019

ISBN:

9781452168630

Publication Information:

San Francisco : Chronicle Books, [2019]

Call Number:

P REX

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003462804	Picture Books	REX	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

"[Adam] Rex delivers a storytime home run--hilarious, heartfelt, instructive, and interactive." -- Booklist , starred review

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.

* A laugh-out-loud take on the small-and-determined-beats-big-loud-bully story, simple questions lead to profound answers in a quest that proves the ultimate power of curiosity
* Monochromatic illustrations with pops of color fill the pages and bring a uniquely captivating element to the storyline
* Adam Rex is an illustrator and author of books such as Nothing Rhymes with Orange and Chu's Day . He lives in Tucson, Arizona
* Claire Keane is the illustrator of Love Is and is known for her development art for the movies Tangled and Frozen. She lives in Venice Beach, California

Fans of Nothing Rhymes with Orange, Love Is, and Grown-Ups Never Do That will also enjoy the relatable and heartwarming tale found in Why?

* Great family and classroom read-aloud book
* Books for kids ages 5-8
* Books for kindergarten students

Author Notes

Adam Rex received a BFA from the University of Arizona. His first picture book, The Dirty Cowboy by Amy Timberlake, was published in 2003. His works include Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, The True Meaning of Smekday, and Fat Vampire.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 1--3--Superheroes and supervillains are everywhere these days, so it comes as no surprise when a villain known as Dr. X-Ray crashes into a shopping mall to mount his scheme to rule the world. The villain encounters a persistent and inquisitive young girl who responds to Dr. X-Ray's every statement with one question: "Why?" Subjected to the child's relentless questioning, Dr. X-Ray reveals his tragic-yet-silly backstory, questions his role in society, and ultimately reforms his evil ways. All the dialogue is told in comic book--style word balloons, with Dr. X-Ray speaking in bold all-caps and the little girl in a smaller script typeface that emphasizes the cloying nature of her questions. The unnamed child stands out in a red dress with white polka dots, but Dr. X-Ray's simple white coat and black boots can get lost in backgrounds that are either empty and monochromatic or busy and hastily sketched. Dr. X-Ray's flashbacks are tinted various colors, adding some variety to the illustrations. The book's message is that we can incite social change with persistent questioning, but perhaps it only works if we encounter a supervillain who is willing to be introspective and candid during interrogation. VERDICT Parents will appreciate the social message and kids will enjoy a supervillain with a kooky backstory about how much he loves knitting.--Chance Lee Joyner, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, NH

Publisher's Weekly Review

Part origin story, part therapy session, this high-voltage comedy by Rex (Nothing Rhymes with Orange) pits a supervillain against an inquisitive child. Doctor X-Ray, wearing a lab coat and rocket boots, crashes through the glass atrium of an upscale mall. "Go ahead and run, puny fools!" he taunts. "No one can withstand the power of Doctor X-Ray!" The mall empties--all except for a wide-eyed girl with black pigtails, a stuffed animal, and a red polka-dotted dress. "Why?" she asks, as small children will. Her repetitive query works on Doctor X-Ray like a psychiatrist's prompts, and his plans and disappointments come tumbling out, each answer leading to another "Why?" Black-outlined speech balloons give the spreads a comic-book vibe as stylish art by Keane (Love Is) cut between the two roaming the deserted mall and faded flashbacks to Doctor X-Ray's tortured boyhood ("I put my heart and soul into that yarn store"). At last, exhausted, Doctor X-Ray has a moment of insight: "Look at me--I don't even rule myself." Though the self-analysis sequence is a bit drawn-out, the visual energy and satisfaction of each page's awaiting answer keep this cinema-style romp hurtling forward. Ages 3--5. (Oct.)