The Whys Get in Trouble by Inbal Alon

A Funny and Thoughtful Picture Book About Curiosity, Questions, and Finding Your Place at School

I have a three-year-old, so I know that sometimes “Why?” is a genuine question… and sometimes it is simply the beginning of a conversation with no natural ending.

“Why do we have to go home?”
“Why is the sky blue?”
“Why can’t I bring this rock to bed?”
“Why?”

So Naomi’s situation in The Whys Get in Trouble felt very familiar.

Naomi has a serious case of the Whys. Her questions follow her everywhere, but school is a little trickier. There are rules, routines, and moments when the teacher needs everyone to listen instead of asking another seventeen questions. Soon Naomi starts wondering if all her curiosity is actually getting her into trouble.

What I really liked about this story is that Naomi doesn’t need to become less curious. She needs to figure out how to make room for her questions while also learning about timing, classroom expectations, and listening to others.

And honestly, that’s a useful lesson for adults too.

There is a big difference between telling a child “stop asking so many questions” and helping them understand, “That’s a great question. Let’s save it for later.” One shuts curiosity down. The other gives it somewhere to go.

Inbal Alon is an educator as well as a children’s author, and that classroom experience comes through in the story. The book understands both sides of the situation—the child who genuinely wants to know everything and the teacher who is trying to get through the school day without being derailed by Question Number 47.

Why you need this book

• Celebrates curiosity instead of treating it as a problem
• Helps children understand classroom expectations
• Opens conversations about questions and timing
• Encourages self-expression and emotional awareness
• Great for children starting school
• Useful for both families and educators

Extra Resources for Teachers & Families

This is one of those books where I would definitely check the author’s extra resources after reading.

Inbal has created Why Worksheets, Wonder Week lesson ideas, a Wonder Journal, and classroom activities designed to help children keep asking questions while building curiosity and community.

Teachers can also use the book as a starting point for conversations about classroom rules, respectful questioning, and what to do when a question pops into your head at exactly the wrong moment.

And if you’re homeschooling, the idea works beautifully there too. You can turn your child’s questions into a Wonder Journal—write down the questions you don’t have time to answer immediately, then choose one to investigate together later. Suddenly “Why is the moon following us?” has somewhere to go besides the middle of grocery shopping.

The author is also offering a teacher preorder bonus through September 1. Teachers who preorder through her website and include their class size using the required order note can receive a class set of Wonder Journals. Check Inbal Alon’s website for the current ordering details and resources.

Order here: The Whys Get in Trouble – Inbal Alon

Try this at home

Start a “Save That Why!” jar. Whenever a child has a question that can’t be answered right away, write it down and put it in the jar. Pick one or two questions each week to explore together. It doesn’t matter if the question is about dinosaurs, clouds, toilets, or why grown-ups say “five more minutes” when they clearly mean twenty. The important part is that the question doesn’t disappear.

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The Whys Get in Trouble is a wonderful reminder that curiosity isn’t something children should outgrow. Sometimes they just need help learning where and when to let their Whys out.

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