Barnett, Mac. Twenty Questions. Christian Robinson, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. [36]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-1513-7. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
A series of open-ended questions make up this book that should inspire interesting conversations with primary grade students. For example, “Which of these fellows has a better singing voice?” is illustrated with two men with open mouths, but no other real way to determine the answer. The delightful, collage-style, mixed media artwork features bold figures on plain backgrounds of white or other solid color. The illustrations add humor, and in a few cases may lead a reader to guess a particular answer. The artwork features people of various racial identities, too. Reading a few of these questions would be a great icebreaker for a storytime or to lead off a class discussion.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool