Why Am I by Colleen McCarthy-Evans

Why Am I

Colleen McCarthy-Evans, Author

Sarah Dietz, Illustrator

Seven Seas Press, Fiction, Aug. 31, 2020

Suitable for ages: 3 -103

Themes: Love, Respect, Humans, Animals, Nature, Life, Inspirational

Opening: “Why Am I / Said the Boy to the Sky / You bring us great joy / Said the Sky to the Boy”

Amazon Synopsis:

Come along on a journey through a dreamy day in our amazing world, starting in the dewy dawn and ending with a dance by the light of the full moon. We’ll meet charming characters and learn about their purpose and preciousness, through fun and playful rhythm and rhyme. This joyful book is a meditation that reminds us that every person, animal and thing in the world has special qualities we can appreciate, value and love about them. And we are all so much more than we believe we are. For ages 3 to 103.

Why I like this book:

Colleen McCarthy-Evans’s Why Am I, is a captivating ode to the wonder and mystery of our world. “Why Am I” is a universal question that children and adults like to ask and ponder. The lyrical narrative reminds readers that nature, animals and human beings have qualities that we all love, appreciate and respect — from the joy of a child to a kiss from a mother; from the sweetness of a honeybee to cheerful chirp of a bird; and from the motion of the ocean to our trust in the galaxy. The language is easy for little ones to understand and yet appropriate for older children and adults. Readers will learn to love and  respect themselves and the wonderful world they live in. This is a very timely picture book.

Why Am I is a perfect quiet time story that will encourage soul-searching conversations between children and parents.  The book is a perfect blend of gentle words and Sarah Dietz’s inspiring and beautiful illustrations, which will capture readers imaginations.

The Spanish edition of the book, Por Que Soy / Why Am I, was published on November 9.

Resources: Make sure you read the Author’s Note at the end. The author has also created two pages of Discussion/Activities  for parents and teachers to use to spark discussions. For example: Take a walk around your school or neighborhood and name a quality for each person, animal, tree, garden, and park that you see. There are so many ways to use this beautiful book.

Colleen McCarthy-Evans is an award-winning creator of books and board games for children and families.  She is the author of The Little Blue Dragon. She’s a co-founder and former Director of Operations of the Santa Barbara Charter School (est. 1993), whose mission is to teach Conflict Resolution along with Academics and the Arts. She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and dogs, loves to practice and teach yoga, and enjoys being in and out of the garden with her two grown sons, extended family and friends.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a review.