Joanna Gaines (text), and Julianna Swaney (illustrator), The World Needs the Wonder You See, Thomas Nelson, January 2025, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781400247417
Joanna Gaines was inspired to write this book when her young son showed his sense of wonder at the natural world that she felt she had lost as she grew up. Each double page spread shows children looking at different habitats and discovering all sorts of surprises, some of which are real and some of which are imaginary (ant marching bands, for example).
The rhyming text is mainly abstract rather than descriptive, encouraging readers to look more closely and go searching for surprises. However, the verses don’t always scan well and the rhythm reading them aloud is occasionally awkward.
Julianna Swaney’s illustrations reveal a lot more detail than the text, showing a variety of children in all sorts of locations using different techniques to make discoveries. Each double page spread extends right to the edges of the pages and the pale green endpapers are littered with all the equipment the characters have used to go exploring.
A worthy concept in an attractive presentation.
Reviewed by Lynne Babbage
