Do You Wonder by Wallace Edwards

"Sometimes I wonder about the mysteries of the sky."

"Sometimes I wonder why some songs make me happy."

"Sometimes I wonder how to join the conversation."

This is a book that should be added to EVERY Primary school library. It is a gentle reminder of things that are important. We all need to slow down, help each other, persevere, acknowledge our emotions, and also spend a little time, from time to time, pondering the BIG questions of life. 

Do You Wonder? raises some potentially sensitive issues as well, subtly asking questions about why we sometimes experience feelings of sadness, loneliness, ambition, competition, and anxiety. There is no narrative linking the pages in this gentle picture book, nor are there any answers to the questions, but the very open-endedness provides ample opportunities for conversation between parent/caregiver and child, and also opens the door for children to share their experiences and ask their own questions about the world. Highly Recommended Canadian Review of Materials

This book was published in Canada in 2022 and it is available for a reduced price (October 2023). I found a copy here and also here. Sadly, Wallace Edwards died late in 2022 aged 65. 

Wallace Edwards was a Canadian illustrator and writer who won the 2002 Governor General's Award for his first children's book Alphabeasts. Here are four of his other books:

The text of this book is wonderful, but it is the illustrations that will really 'blow your mind'. Wallace Edwards interprets each piece of text in a quirky, humorous, clever, and thought-provoking way.