I Wonder

For those raising kids without religion, which is my preference, there isn't much for kids to read that is relevant to other views of the universe. This book is beautiful to look at, and a nice, short read, but I don't think a child would find it a book to love. I'l see how it goes when I give it to my favorite 7 year old at Thanksgiving.

The illustrations are beautiful and the intent is a noble one. The narrative is weaker than I had hoped and there's too much author-specific text that kids want you to read, but has nothing to do with the story.

This sounds like a good book by the description. And I don't mind encouraging my kids to day dream a bit.
But I'd much rather teach them to seek real answers rather than just say "I don't know let's just wonder about it"

Not what I thought it would be. It addresses the "mystery" about gravity, caterpillars (and other beings that change), and uncountable grains of sand on the earth. It didn't hold my 4-year-old's attention. I was hoping it would be a bit deeper, but the purpose was more to present that it's okay to say "I don't know," and to wonder about things.
The dialog between mother and daughter lacked defining words like, "she said" or "Eva asked," so unless I used two different voices while reading to my son, it was confusing to keep track of who was talking.
The illustrations are pretty. They look like photographs with a paint daub Photoshop filter and added wispy additions for the "wonder"/ "magic" feel.
Not something we'll read often.

What a disappointment.

A lovely attempt, but after all of the hype I had heard about this book (Steven Pinker, V.S. Ramachandran, Daniel Goleman), I was expecting something a lot more substantial. I loved the approach Annaka took and the way it was presented, but was left completely underwhelmed by the amount of content. It was only just getting going when it ended!

I understand this book is for children (one year old and up to be exact) but my nephew (3yo) wonders about a great deal more than the smattering of examples given by Annaka. In addition, after reading Annaka's initial appeal for crowd-sourcing her project, I was expecting more focus on cultivating an attitude of inquiry and encouraging "I don't know" answers. I was left with the feeling that it could have been considerably more rich and stimulating, especially given the final amount of funding received.

I was disappointed in this book. The illustrations are beautiful, but it's not exactly profound. I was hoping for a little more substance. It would have been fine for a library book, but not a purchase.

I agree with another reviewer (rated it 1-star) who commented that this book permits a much-needed "I don't know" to the big questions, but stopped short of the next step, i.e., following a curiosity by trying to discover an answer.

The book's artwork was beautiful and the concept was good, but the story was NOT satisfying because of the emphasis of "I don't know." Instead, why didn't it invite the reader to consider "Let's find out !!! "?

I participated in the Kickstarter funding for this book and was excited to get my copy. It is truly a beautiful book to look at; the illustrations are stunning. The story is a good starting point for young girls (and boys) to find out about the universe, starting with the moon. More importantly, to say, "I don't know" when you don't have an answer rather than choosing God as the answer. This is a subtle point in the book but an important one.

I do wish the story went a little deeper but, as I said above, it's a good starting point. I don't think you can go wrong with this book if you want to begin educating your young children about the universe and all things wondrous in the cosmos.

Scan book store and library shelves, and you'll see scores of books for children about scientific topics - space, cool animals, field guides, science experiments, gross science, etc. Yet how many of those books stress the importance of wonder in thinking about science? "I Wonder" does just that, and does so beautifully. As a parent, I strive to introduce my children to the natural side of the world they live in. But doing so can sometimes turn into looking at what we know, and if we don't know something, it feels like we aren't succeeding. But science would not be a human endeavor if scientists had everything all figured out! The exciting thing is that we don't know it all, and reading "I Wonder" helps in recognizing that perhaps most important attribute of living a life that embraces the importance of science: knowing that it is continuous and changing. What I love even more about this book is that in every illustration, Eva and her mother are outside: in the woods, at a beach, in the clouds, and in space (using their imaginations, of course). A first step to instilling an interest in science in a child is to step out the front door. A second step is to read and be read to, and a parent and a child cannot go wrong with getting comfortable under a tree and reading "I Wonder" together.

An absolute waste of money. The book is written in a tone for a 6-8 years old kid but with concepts and use of words well beyond this age. My 10 years old could not sit through the middle of it and my younger child couldn't understand any of it.
The people who reviewed this book cannot have been sincere. If I saw this book on a library shelf I would never bring it home for my kids. The graphic is so washed ...it looks as if it was published in the 80's. Outrageous price for the quality.
The most shocking thing is that Daniel Siegel actually gave it a review at all, let aside such a high review. Even big writers are doing anything for money these days and it is just sad that you can't rely on reviews any more.

Folks, save your money: your kids won't get anything new from this book...if they actually have the patience to go through it!

I absolutely loved the artwork in this book. It gives the feeling of dreamy wonderment. I bought 2 copies. One for my grandsons and one to keep for future grandchildren. We need to raise a generation of not just 'wonderers' but curious seekers and scientists. This book is a jumping off point for those kind of discussions with children.

I should have written this review when the book was delivered on our doorstep after the Kickstarter campaign that we participated in. I Wonder was a and still is a favorite story of our granddaughter for bedtime. Harris' words flow easily through the story and they open up opportunities for discussion before nodding off. As an artist, I appreciate the lovely artwork, too. Bravo to Ms. Harris and her illustrator for putting a beautiful book together.

I bought this hoping my 4yo would grow into it; I just thought it was beautiful and would eventually teach him some of his parents' values. But he already loves it, requesting that we read it often. He is so interested in gaining knowledge-- loves his Nat Geo books and "why" questions. It's nice to have a book that reminds him nobody knows, or needs to know, it all.

The book is supposed to be targeted towards 1 yr olds and up, but I think the book is an excellent choice for a bit older kids as well. At age 6 I found that my children started asking a million questions a day and some were not easy to answer right away. Questions that make even us adults wonder and we might not have the answers to in a second. I think the book gives a beautiful conversation starter for you and your kids and open their minds to wonder about the world and to let them know,that sometimes it really is okay just to see the beauty in the world and not ( right away)know the answers to everything !

Loved reading this with my 8-year-old, and I only wish we had discovered it sooner! Lovely combination of learning both information and ways to think about life's mysteries. Great intro to children on critical thinking. We got this from the library and will be purchasing a copy for our permanent collection!

I pre-ordered this book, and ended up getting two (one for my children, and one to donate to their school). The book is simply written, with beautiful illustrations, and was authored to make children comfortable with saying 'I don't know' rather than inventing reasons for things. It was perfect for my three-year old, and is a nice balance against all the "just so" stories that attempt to say that there is a reason for everything. I'm very happy with the book. My oldest is six, and although it's a little young for her she enjoys it as a short bedtime book.

I Wonder is beautifully illustrated and will help children utilize their imagination AND thinking skills. I believe that this book is best enjoyed by reading it aloud with a child. An engaging conversation will develop during storytime. It's okay to just wonder and be in awe of our universe and science without always knowing all the answers. I Wonder promotes healthy dialogue and allows children to think for themselves.

My son, now 7, completely lost his vision 2 years ago, so the beautiful illustrations are lost for him. Still, the story and concept has been very nice for us both. I love that Mr. Harris’ work is more than the words on the page. Reading this story has been the start of many valuable conversations. Thank you.

This book is beautifully illustrated and clearly written to help children be comfortable with saying, "I don't know." I love the simplicity of the writing and the beautiful creatitivity in this hard cover book. It's a good read, my daughter enjoys it. Would recommend!

This is awesome. I repeatedly read this to my four year old daughter. She seems to like it and follows along. And she even sites the book occasionally with an,"I don't know!" and a smile. It's follows the conversation between a girl and her mother. Mine seems to let old dad read it to her without issue. Some fairly heady thought was put into this and I hope it will lead to critical thinking in my kids.

The art isn't my favorite, but I'm an artist and I'm critical. Looks like they've taken real life photographs and used a Photoshop filter to spice them up. Seems a little on the lazy side. But if you didn't know that, it has a warm, comforting visual feel. Toward the end, one page, in particular, looks like they ran out of P-shop license because it almost looks like a straight photo. Oh well.

Otherwise great. Good quality book. Fun. Intelligent. We read it often and will continue to do so.

I am excited to read this with my son as he grows up. I appreciate the reason Annaka Harris wrote the book. I hope my son learns to wonder about the world, rather than dismissing questions or making up answers. The illustrations are beautiful and displayed well on large pages.

Wow! What a fantastic book with beautiful illustrations. The author does such a nice job of not talking down to children, but instead she embraces their natural sense of curiosity. Although I only read an electronic version, I am sure the print version is even more amazing. I highly recommend this book for all children.

I helped fund the Kick-starter event that got this book published, and it's even more beautiful than the pictures suggested. I'm donating my copy to a local library, where I hope it gives inspiration for years to come.

This is an important message to give our children to help foster critical thinking and a love of learning. Psychologist Carol Dweck writes about growth vs. fixed mindsets in our young children. This book is all about encouraging the growth mindset, honoring mystery and curiosity so the that there is never a cap to our learning and inquiring. Imagine the future of a society in which children are encouraged to maintain this attitude for learning from an early age. I look forward to sharing this book with my young students.

This was my first (and so far only) Kickstarter project that I donated to, and I am thrilled to have been a part of it and to see the book come to life in the way that it has. I hope to see more and more books emerging for kids to help them understand the uncertainty of the world as they grow up.

I did think the book was a little forced at times; some moments were quite detailed and wordy which makes me less likely to refer it to kids the age I was expecting to. I will be giving it to my 6 and 11 year old sisters this holiday season and will be anxious to see how it sits with them given both of their ages. Though it's certainly less challenging than what the 11 year old reads regularly, I'm sure she will still enjoy the art, the story overall, and quite possibly be very interested in its premise.

Congrats and thanks to Annaka on this achievement.

I was disappointed in the book. I think the age rating is too low and it lacks in crossing gender lines. I bought it for a gift and decided it wasn't appropriate for a boy. Maybe I'll give it to a niece or donate it to a charity.

Annaka Harris has stormed onto the children's book scene with a beautifully written homage to skepticism. The book is accompanied by stunning, commissioned paintings. "I wonder" is intellectually, educationally, and emotionally uplifting. This is a book for all ages, indeed a book for The Ages. We will purchase a copy for all the children in our lives, ages 9 to 99.

My daughter got this as a gift. She really caught the message and I have seen a change in her for the better. She now understands that wondering is beautiful and can open doors to creativity. Thanks for such a book and the illustrations are just marvellous.

Saying "I don't know" is perfectly great ...when it is followed by...but why don't we try and find the answer? That book never took that step. The book said that we don't "know where gravity comes from". True, science has not fully answered the mystery of gravity. And yes, a mystery is something for everyone to wonder about together. But to make this book work for me, the author should not have stopped there. I need another sentence that says "and that is why some people become scientists - to try and solve the mysteries we all wonder about".

Because without that sentence, the book seems to infer that perhaps, that mystery is something supernatural. From the comments I read prior to reading the book, it seemed that other readers interpreted the book as "I don't know" being an alternative to choosing God as the answer." Great! That is why I bought the book - except it does NOT do that at all. To me, it invites God as an answer.

So I was disappointed by the book and did not at all agree with one reviewer's comment that the book accomplishes "sweeping child and adult into a powerful journey of discovery" because there is no discovery!

I love this book for both kids and adults. It really takes you to a state of mind -- and it's not didactic or moralizing.

Even though the main characters are a mother and daughter, my 3 little war-toy-toting nephews loved the book. It's just enchanting.

What a wonderful children's book with absolutely amazing illustrations that go hand-in-hand with the story. It's a simple, common-sense message that surprisingly is not often communicated to children (or adults). A great book for everyone's collections.

I really enjoyed reading the book to my two daughters. They both loved the illustrations and the story. Reading the book together sparked a fun conversation about how it's okay to say "I don't know", and to allow ourselves to have moments of "wonder" about our beautiful and mysterious world.

Amazing! I love it and so do my kids. I teach high school math and knowing how to get my very young children to question and wonder is a challenge but books like this one really help! Please buy this book, you'll be glad you did.

Great book with beautiful illustrations! Great read for kids...will help them understand & and accept the fact that we don't have answers for everything yet...and that's ok! It was a great conversation starter with both my children(age 6 & 4)...great job Annaka!

I bought this book for my 4 year old daughter and both she and I love it. If you are trying to instill a sense of wonder about the world we live in to your children, then this book will be a helpful tool.

In modern times, it feels like humans have been pushes over the boundaries. This books reflects that children should be able to wonder. Let them wonder! Read the, this story! I have most certainly done so while translating it on the fly!

Great book. The artwork is beautiful and the topic important.
I'm not familiar with children's books but seems like it could have been longer. Maybe it is the perfect length for a child's attention span?

I Was really looking forward to this book for my kid.It fell short of my expectations.It was not enough writings. There was very little in teachings and wondering. The illustrations were nice. Even still the book is a very basic starter book for the young. Just wish it had a little more.

Nice illustrations but over hyped... I wonder if I've missed something here...sure it's okay to say 'I don't know' and the message behind this is wonder-ful. I can't help feeling a little short changed though...I was expecting so much more. When I came to the end I thought the kindle version had downloaded incorrectly as it is so very short (some of the glowing reviews are longer than the book itself). It's a lovely idea to get children thinking for themselves about all they could possibly wonder about and for everyone to acknowledge that there are simply things we do not know I just didn't expect that the majority of the work would be done by the reader as opposed to the author. I was expecting more but perhaps misunderstood the target audience - if you really want to engage with with your children and get MUCH more value for money see The Magic of Reality: How we know what's really true by Richard Dawkins..... On reflection, I wonder if about six quid is after all not too much to pay really for this, 'I just don't know' - perhaps it's left me feeling more ambivalent than short changed....was this the hidden agenda?

I don't get it. I just received this book, which I planned give my daughter for Christmas. I don't think either my 5 or 7 year-old would care for this at all. Unless you bs your kids every time they ask a question you don't know the answer to, this is a too-short book about conversations you've probably already had- several times a day. I found it pointless and for as much as it costs, I wish I could return it.