A charming and inquisitive story that celebrates tracing the origin of
ideas, language, and every day objects, for children 4-8.
Where does snow come from? What language did the word thermos come
from? And who was the Buddha's teacher?
So many problems in the world come from accepting information at face
value without looking into where it comes from. How Do You Know What
You Know? follows a child and their father on a cozy, snowy day outing.
The child asks questions about how things came to be the way they are.
The questions range from how the father knows how to tie a shoe to why
it's not a good idea to eat yellow snow. These queries are met by the
father with patience and humor that weave a delightful narrative of
intergenerational knowledge sharing. In this exchange, respectful
inquiry is beautifully modeled for young learners.
The journey includes an amble in the park, a trip to the library, a bus
ride, and a visit to a local Buddhist temple where the father is a
student. The teacher there introduces the child to the idea of lineage,
that wisdom and understanding comes from generations of knowledge passed
down from person to person. With a quaint and welcoming simplicity, the
illustrations bring this beautiful story to life, and every spread has a
subtle nod to the progression of how things come to be the way they are.
The story encourages children's natural curiosity and shows them that
everywhere they look there is a story to be told if we just ask.
