Because

"It’s a bit of a profound story and it gives an understanding of just what hard work and perseverance can actually achieve for you. Also, how a moment in time can maybe be disappointing, but could actually turn into a lifetime of enjoyment. So, in the case of Because , had one little girl never made it to the orchestra concert, she may not have had a lifetime of music, which becomes a deep passion for her. For me, I love the overall feeling of knowing that one moment can change your life, depending on what you put into that moment and what you choose to take out of the moment. Then, on top of that, the illustrations are so lovely and it’s so well written and enjoyable. I read it to my four-year-old and my seven-year-old and each of them were equally captivated. I’m sure my 4-year old didn’t take away as much as my seven-year-old, but both of them really enjoyed it. There’s a musical background to it, starting with Ludwig (van Beethoven) writing his music. One man wrote beautiful music, that inspired the next man to create his own music, and that then inspired a group of musicians to start an orchestra, which then inspired other people to study music and then it led to a concert, where a little girl sat in a seat watching and listening. That moment inspired her for a lifelong love of music and then, at the end of the story, she encourages another child to enter the world of music. It’s almost like “This is the House that Jack Built”: it shows you the simple stepping stones of how one person’s actions can inspire another and so on. Yes. Most of the time picture books are for a pre-reader, but they’re also great for older readers tackling new topics. So if you were introducing a new topic to an older reader in a chapter book format with no pictures, it might feel overwhelming. So, I feel picture books are still great for the older readers, but ultimately, I would say the age range for Because is 4 to 8."