Book Review of Ask The Wide World
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The Children’s Book Review
Written by Dana Griffin
Illustrated by Alejandro Echavez
Ages 5-8 | 36 Pages
Publisher: Mascot Books (2024) | ISBN-13: 9781637557457
What to Expect: Curiosity, problem-solving, knowledge, discovery, and sensory exploration.
In this beautifully written picture book about discovery and knowledge, readers will learn about active learning through a gentle, relatable story.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who had questions about everything. She asked questions like “Why do birds sing in the morning and not at night? Why does toast turn brown? Why does the kettle whistle when the water gets hot?” all day long and only stopped when she went to sleep. Her mother couldn’t answer them all, and nor could her father.
Then, one day, she met an old man with wise eyes. She tried asking him her questions—but he didn’t know the answers either! He did give her some valuable advice, though—he told her to ask the world instead of the people around her. When she took his advice, something magical happened—she learned to hear, smell, taste, and feel the answers the world was giving her!
The main character is curious and intelligent, and readers will relate easily to her quest to understand the world around her. Vibrant digital illustrations draw readers’ attention to that world, emphasizing movement, joy, and exploration. By far, the best feature of this book is the beautiful descriptive language through which the story is told. The story focuses on sensory experiences and uses complex sentences to immerse the reader in the sensations that help the main character learn about discovery.
Ask The Wide World is not just a story but a journey of independent thinking and learning. It encourages children to explore, question, and seek answers on their own, instilling a sense of empowerment and inspiration.
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About the Author
Dana Griffin has been a teacher, soldier, doctor, scientist, and writer at various times.
She has lived in seven states, three countries, and three continents but currently resides in Pittsburgh with her husband and three inquisitive children.
She began writing her debut children’s book in college while studying bird migration along the Texas bayous. Twenty years later, she finally completed it, proving that some stories take a long time to grow up.
When she isn’t writing or doing experiments, she stays busy reading, cooking, playing the piano, singing, hiking through the Pennsylvania woods, and traveling the world with her family.
For more information, visit: www.dsgriffinbooks.com.
About the Illustrator
Alejandro Echavez is a freelance illustrator, painter, and storyboard artist specializing in children’s books. He currently resides in Long Island, NY, but spent his formative years in Bogota, Colombia, where he first showed an interest in art at the very young age of six. More than an interest, it was a natural talent that his family nurtured and developed. As he is a kid at heart, his artwork is often colorful and playful in theme. He is not scared of bright colors, which he uses to create movement and vibrancy in his work.
Alejandro’s most recent works include a mural at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He has illustrated more than thirty books written by various authors from all over the United States and contributed to the creation of app games. Alejandro hopes to continue creating the vibrant artwork he is known for.
You can find more of his work at www.alejoartworks.com or on IG @_alejoartworks.
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