#BOOKREVIEW #19
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK REVIEW AS A WRITER AND A READER
Title: The Three Questions
Author & Illustrator: Jon J Muth
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Target Reader: 7-10 years
The Three Questions (children’s book) written by Jon J Muth is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s story with the same name. The characters and examples used in the kids’ book are changed to make the story relatable to the young readers while the premise is preserved.
It is a beautiful story with easy to illustrations and a significant message. Nikolai, the protagonist, is a young boy in search for answers to three important questions.
- When is the best time to do things?
- Who is the most important one?
- What is the right thing to do?
He asks those questions to his three friends, Sonya the heron, Gogol the monkey and Pushkin the dog. The three friends try to help him to their best abilities, but the Nikolai isn’t convinced. He met Leo, the wise turtle, to find his answers. Initially, Leo let Nikolai learn through the situations unravelling in front of him, but the boy failed to understand and that’s when Leo helped.
The message is profound and timeless but whether a seven-year-old will grasp the meaning of those questions with ease, is a big question. As a teacher, continuous repetition of the message and reading of the book multiple times will help children to understand the real way of living life.
It’s a big ask to expect the children to get the significance of ‘Now.’ Many adults fail to practice that nothing matters more than living in current moment with the people who are part of that moment. The author has done a great job in adapting the story, but the expectations are quite high.
On the other hand, it is ironical that children naturally live in the moment and till the age of 3 or 4 nothing more matters to them. Stress, worry, past and future all come later in life. Adults push children to think about the next task and ask them to jump from one job to another. We switch between past, present and future and bring stress in their life. Later, we write and read books to teach them the relevance of current.
Ultimately, the book is as much for adults as it is for children. By modelling mindfulness and presence, ourselves, we can make the lesson easier for children to learn. The Three Questions is a thoughtful, visually appealing story that sparks meaningful conversations, even if its full message unfolds gradually over time.
I am an author, teacher and holistic wellness coach. I love to review children’s book. This encouraged me to write my first picture book called ‘Stand up for yourself,’ Brando Tells Dory.
Every child is unique and deserves acceptance not just from others, but mainly from within. A child with healthy self-worth can fight against many odds and grow into a responsible human being. That’s what Dory did in this story. Brando, her classmate, helped her in understanding the real meaning of standing up for oneself. Dory learned that standing up for yourself and asking for help are acts of self-respect.
How does Dory find her voice? What happens when she confronts the girls? Her journey reminds all of us that every child has the right to say, “I matter.”
Click here to get a copy for your child.
About A New You:
We all deserve to have everything in our life exactly the way we want it.The first step begins with believing that every moment is bringing an opportunity to be a new you. As a founder, I provide tools to elevate all dimensions of your life and I teach you the art of writing to reach to your true potential.
Vandana Sehgal | Founder – A New You