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Just Because

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Just Because
By Mac Barnett
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Candlewick Press, 2019. Picture book.

A restless young girl asks her father a series of pre-bedtime questions which prompt her patient father to think of fantasical responses - never resorting to the titular "just because." This book captures a tender, familiar moment between a child and father - but it's real magic is in the illustrations. Greyscale illustrations of the little girl's cozy, darkened bedroom are contrasted by the full-spread illustrations of her dad's creative answers - filled with highlighting colors.

Matte, flat colors give this book a decidedly retro vibe - a satisfying take on a familiar concept.
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