cover image Why the Face?

Why the Face?

Jean Jullien. Phaidon, $14.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7148-7719-8

In this playfully designed outing, the titular query appears on the left page, while on the right, cartoon children make silly expressions. Flaps open to reveal answers to the question, hinted at by the children’s reactions. One child smiles, reacting to a bounty of warm baked goods (“Mmm yum”); elsewhere, a girl plugs her ears and squishes up her face, reacting to pink-haired members of a wailing band (“Aah! Too loud!”). Jullien, a graphic artist, illustrates with solid background colors and thick outlines that bring the faces front and center. Wagering guesses about the why behind each facial expression is almost as much fun as finding out the answers. Ages 2–4. [em](Aug.) [/em]