Just because

In his picture book debut, actor McConaughey offers up some folksy wisdom about life's often contradictory nature. Tracing moments of kindness and hurt, clarity and befuddlement, and achievement and catastrophe, a series of short, rhyming assertions begin "Just because..." paired with the rejoinder "doesn't mean...." In one vignette, a child snatches a ball from another, and the narrator notes, "Just because you're a bully,/ doesn't mean that you're strong"; directly below, the aggressor, now hit with remorse, realizes that "Just because it felt right then,/ doesn't mean it won't feel wrong." Variably saturated, digitally cartooned vignettes by Kurilla (One Springy, Singy Day!) show kids of various abilities and skin tones engaging in everyday life--baths and meals, parties and hangs. Some of the messaging doesn't quite land ("Just because a hand is clenched,/ doesn't mean that it's a fist," feels at odds with an image about surprise gift giving), and a little of the parallel phrasing goes a long way, but the homespun homilies effectively communicate that everyone's a complex being trying their best, that things move on--and that life can be alright, alright, alright. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Matthew Elblonk, DeFiore & Co. Illustrator's agent: Jen Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

Oscar winner McConaughey offers intriguing life observations. The series of pithy, wry comments, each starting with the phrase "Just because," makes clear that each of us is a mass of contradictions: "Just because we're friends, / doesn't mean you can't burn me. / Just because I'm stubborn, / doesn't mean that you can't turn me." Witty, digitally rendered vignettes portray youngsters diverse in terms of race and ability (occasionally with pets looking on) dealing with everything from friendship drama to a nerve-wracking footrace. "Just because I'm dirty, / doesn't mean I can't get clean" is paired with an image of a youngster taking a bath while another character (possibly an older sibling) sits nearby, smiling. "Just because you're nice, / doesn't mean you can't get mean" depicts the older one berating the younger one for tracking mud into the house. The artwork effectively brings to life the succinct, rhyming text and will help readers make sense of it. Perhaps, after studying the illustrations and gaining further insight into the comments, kids will reread and reflect upon them further. The final page unites the characters from earlier pages with a reassuring message for readers: "Just because the sun has set, / doesn't mean it will not rise. / Because every day is a gift, / each one a new surprise. BELIEVE IT." As a follow-up, readers should be encouraged to make their own suggestions to complete the titular phrase. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Charming and thought-provoking proof that we all contain multitudes. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.