A good book wants to be shared. "The Why Bird" by Paul Dunn is such a book. Reading times promote timeless bonding. A good children's book should appeal to adult and child alike, thereby providing shared entertainment while encouraging interactive involvement. This book does just that. By a look or a nudge a child can be prompted to say "why" before each turn of a page.

Because rhymed phrases stick in the mind, this story can be progressively memorized and recited. Thus a young listener can later point to each verbalized word and learn to recognize it in print. Varied sound/spelling associations become apparent as well.

The text hints at lessons of life: facing fearful challenges, dealing with discouragement, identifying one's own values and discovering self-worth. The text triggers meaningful questions that want an opportunity to be posed by either an adult or a child. It also builds vocabulary and emphasizes the value of words.

Delightful pictures complement the text to convey ever-needed humor. This is a picture book that won?t just perch on a shelf. It should well be a "bird-in-the-hand."