Why Are You Doing That?

PreS-K—A curious boy explores his community and learns where different foods come from in this family story set in rural Central America. Chepito starts his day by asking his mother, "Why are you doing that?" as she stands at the stove. "'I'm making your breakfast,' answers his mother. 'What for? What for?' sings Chepito. She replies: 'These eggs and beans will make you really strong.'" This interaction sets up the framework for the rest of the story, with Chepito asking everyone he meets, "Why are you doing that?" followed by, "What for? What for?" He learns about both plant and animal care as he asks Manuel why he digs up weeds, Doña Ana why she feeds chickens, and Ramón why he milks the cow. The explanations are age appropriate and are more about food production than anything else. The sweetly naive illustrations are composed of digitally manipulated watercolor and colored-pencil art. Using an earthy palette of greens, browns, and oranges, the pictures have a strong sense of place that is supplemented by simple details, like the embroidery on Mama's dress, the carved legs of the table, and the tiled floors. Although the story is a bit wordy, it is overall a strong selection for libraries dedicated to maintaining diverse collections.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN