So Many Ways to Be Curious (Jayneen Sanders, illus Clare Elsom, Educate2Empower)

So Many Ways to Be Curious is a nonfiction picture book that lives up to its title – a practical guide to nurturing curiosity in children. Jayneen Sanders, a passionate advocate for empowering kids to develop social and emotional intelligence, has written a book that aims to help establish these skills from an early age, fostering a lifelong love of curiosity that extends into the teenage years and beyond. Brightly illustrated by Clare Elsom, the pictures express diversity and playfulness and entice children to pore over the pages or dive in and out of different sections. Throughout the book, thought-provoking questions and activities encourage meaningful discussions between children and their families or educators, including prompts such as, ‘How do you show you are a good listener?’ and ‘Describe what you can see, smell, touch, hear or taste right now’. Beyond curiosity, the book also promotes critical thinking, empathy, resilience, problem solving and creativity. It asks its readers to be open-minded, continually question the world around them, and observe and listen with intent. Designed for children aged 5–11, So Many Ways to Be Curious is perfect for sparking imagination and offering fresh perspectives.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Karys McEwen is a librarian, an author, and the education advisor for the Melbourne Writers Festival. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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