{"product_id":"the-book-of-whys-9781592703647","title":"The Book of Whys","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFactual as well as whimsical, and humorously illustrated, this is the first English-language publication of the answers given by one of Italy's greatest and most beloved children's authors to children's questions about animals, nature, technology, and culture.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWinner of the 2023 Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs's English Translation Prize!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Gianni Rodari is widely regarded as the father of modern Italian children's literature. A firm believer in the great intelligence of children, he worked both as a teacher and a journalist. For a number of years, children across Italy sent their questions to his weekly newspaper column--questions Rodari answered, most inventively, with rhymes and little poems. \u003ci\u003eWhy didn't he reply with facts alone?\u003c\/i\u003e Because he wanted to provoke children into thinking about questions, norms, and language itself. \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Whys \u003c\/i\u003ecollects a selection of these questions--from \"Why does an elephant have a trunk?\" to \"Why does a car need fuel?\" to \"Why are we born?\"--along with Rodari's answers, which beautifully serve to highlight the complexities, simplicities, and absurdities of our world. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e With a fresh translation from Antony Shugaar, who also translated Rodari's \u003ci\u003eTelephone Tales \u003c\/i\u003e(the 2021 Batchelder Award winner), and playful illustrations in colored pencils from artist JooHee Yoon (\u003ci\u003eBeastly Verse; \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Tiger Who Would Be King\u003c\/i\u003e, a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eBest Illustrated Book of 2015; \u003ci\u003eInside Out and Upside Down\u003c\/i\u003e), \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Whys \u003c\/i\u003eis a playful, surprising, and poetically informative book for all those who are curious about the world and ready to play with the ways things are. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Gianni Rodari\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Enchanted Lion\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/23\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 152\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.3lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.60h x 6.30w x 1.10d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781592703647","brand":"Ripon Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44148434599981,"sku":"9781592703647","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/0501\/1245\/files\/img_53dbb7f4-a9de-4f11-8e11-aea82d1e5a7c.jpg?v=1757223843","url":"https:\/\/riponbookstore.com\/products\/the-book-of-whys-9781592703647","provider":"Ripon Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}