
There's no Such Thing as a Silly Question
by Mike Rampton, illustrated by Guilherme Karsten
Interest age: 7 to 11
Reading age: 7+
Published by Nosy Crow, 2024
About this book
Kids are fascinated by the world around them, and rightly so. Our universe is a brilliantly complex place filled with mysteries waiting to be discovered. To make sense of it, children often ask seemingly “silly” abstract questions, like: “How much water would it take to put out the sun?”
But these questions are anything but silly! Instead, they lead to valuable explanations of real science, history, sociology and more by putting complex ideas into contexts which are relatable to children’s own experiences and interests.
The abundance of information in this book is awesome and it moves along at a great pace, making it ideal to dip in and out of. Rampton’s writing is packed with facts, but concise enough to maintain the reader’s momentum. He combines silly facts, humour and genuinely informative explanations to answer 213 unusual questions.
Each of these questions is paired with a brilliantly bold and comedic illustration from the wonderful Guilherme Karsten. They range in size and style and include lots of humorous scenes, creative infographics, and additional details to spot.
One of this book’s great strengths is that it does not condescend to its child audience. Instead, it praises children for their open curiosity and celebrates the pursuit of knowledge by asking questions about anything and everything, no matter how “silly” they may seem.
A great book to use with a class for a fun, daily fact.
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