I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
Many kids go through one of two stages when they reach kindergarten age. First, they want to know about everything and ask lots of questions. Parents can sometimes feel flummoxed trying to answer the questions. Another stage is the know-it-all stage where children feel that THEY have all the answers. I'm sure you have run across children that fit in the two categories. I don't remember going through a real questioning stage but I was definitely times when I was a know-it-all. Sometimes I wonder if I NEVER outgrew that stage!
Peter Catalanotto offers a humorous look at these two types of young children with his picture book QUESTION BOY AND LITTLE MISS KNOW-IT-ALL. He cleverly turns these children and the various people that we see in our everyday lives into superheroes. The illustrations themselves even have a comic book quality which adds to the fun. In the book, Question Boy drives everyone crazy with all of his questions. Until he meets him match in the park one day---Little Miss Know-It-All. It seems like a match made in heaven. Finally! Someone who will answer all those questions!!! But Little Miss Know-It-All doesn't always have the RIGHT answers. It seems more important to her to be able to spout off her own knowledge rather than get it right. The two of them square off in an epic battle that offers a very humorous conclusion.
The text itself is longer than your average picture book and makes it appropriate and complex enough for beginning readers/early elementary age children. Younger children may have a hard time sitting still for the length of this story. Parents will enjoy the funny, often nonsensical "facts" that Little Miss Know-It-All throws out. The book offers readers the opportunity to see how their behaviors can affect others and how we always need to question the truth of what others tell us.
I tested this book on my 3.5 yr old and he loved it. His favorite part was the turning point in the battle between the two children. I don't want to give it away so I won't tell you what happens. I worried that my son wouldn't be able to sit still through so much text but we ended up reading it four times last night so....I guess I was wrong!
When I came home last night, my husband and son had done this picture of Question Boy:
BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. A very cute picture book that is sure to bring smiles to children and grownups alike.
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