{"product_id":"the-book-of-whys-by-gianni-rodari-9781592703647","title":"The Book of Whys","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\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\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGianni 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. \u003cem\u003eWhy didn't he reply with facts alone?\u003c\/em\u003e Because he wanted to provoke children into thinking about questions, norms, and language itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Book of Whys\u003c\/em\u003e collects 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\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a fresh translation from Antony Shugaar, who also translated Rodari's \u003cem\u003eTelephone Tales\u003c\/em\u003e (the 2021 Batchelder Award winner), and playful illustrations in coloured pencils from artist JooHee Yoon (\u003cem\u003eBeastly Verse; The Tiger Who Would Be King\u003c\/em\u003e, a \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Best Illustrated Book of 2015; \u003cem\u003eInside Out and Upside Down\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cem\u003eThe Book of Whys\u003c\/em\u003e is 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\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48126632722668,"sku":"9781592703647","price":44.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781592703647-the-book-of-whys.jpg?v=1785972541","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/the-book-of-whys-by-gianni-rodari-9781592703647","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}