Zoey Wonders Why

Who am I? What am I?

Children - Grade K-3rd
54 Pages
Reviewed on 09/22/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Who are we? Everyone wants to know about our past and our heritage, especially children. In Zoey Wonders Why: Who am I? What am I? by Nadia Khan and Tasya Nabiella, we find that Zoey is no different. Her mother has Pakistani background but was raised in the United States and her father grew up in Africa even though his family lives in India. With such a cultural mix, Zoey has a difficult time putting together a cultural presentation from her ancestral country, as she’s expected to bring a special food native to that country. What should she bring? When her classmates begin their presentations and share their food, all she can think about is how much she wants to eat the offerings. That doesn’t help her come up with food that defines who she is and who her ancestors are.

Nadia Khan and Tasya Nabiella’s picture book Zoey Wonders Why is about the compelling questions many young people have. We all want to know and understand our roots because that’s part of what makes us who we are. Told in first person narrative from Zoey’s point of view, the story centers on this five-year-old and her desire to learn more about herself and her heritage. In the process, she must also learn to respect others and enjoy their ancestral stories and foods. There is lots of dialogue and the tender relationship between mother and daughter as well as between Zoey and her younger sibling is touching. The illustrations are bright, bold, and colorful and certainly help move the story along. This is an excellent story for young readers to encourage them to open up and learn about their ancestral heritage as well as to learn to respect and accept others for who they are.