Because

Anytime Mo Willems releases a new book, I preorder it because I just know it's going to be good. I have six-year-old twins and we own all of the Elephant and Piggie books, Pigeon books, as well as some of his others. This book arrived on release day and we've already read it a number of times! Because is a beautiful picture book that shows how just one piece of music can change many people's lives. It's like a domino effect; we can do one thing and it ends up affecting others' lives. Think about how amazing it would be if we could use kindness in the same way! We never know how one smile or kind word can change someone. This book contains beautiful words (lyrics) and the pictures accompany the story perfectly. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so I'm not going to say anything other than that it's about music but it can also apply to many other things as well. I just want to note that if you are looking to purchase this and expect it to be hilarious like Elephant and Piggie, you won't find that in this book. This is more of a heartfelt book that people of all ages will enjoy. I also purchased copies for my kids' teachers and it was appreciated so much! Buy this book because you will love it!

I loved this book! My daughter is still a baby, but she lights up when we play classical music and orchestras, so I thought I would get this book so that she gets another angle at classical music. She loved the colors, and that I played franz' unfinished symphony with it. As an adult, the book almost moved me to tears. It's a great story about how we are connected to one another, about the transformative power of music, about the powers of inspiration and work and chance. And the colors are really wonderful. A special mention to the double pages of silence in the orchestra, and then the double page as they start playing. They so beautifully captured in images what it feels like to listen to the start of an orchestra. I cannot enough recommend that book, it's truly wonderful

Another gem from Mo Willems! This book is perfect for any young music-lover but is not only limited to that audience. The story beautifully illustrates the way in which humans are connect, how we impact each other’s life experiences, and how our choices and actions have a ripple effect. This complex concept is beautifully explored in a way that is developmentally-appropriate for children. I read this with my book-loving 2.5 year old. He obviously is a bit too young to process the underlying message but enjoyed the book nonetheless. I think this is probably a perfect read for little ones ages 4-8 years. As other reviewers have noted, this is not your typical Mo Willems book - no silliness or humor - just a great message :)

I read this book 3 times upon arrival with tears flowing out of my eyes...Such a moving book. Short, sweet, cleverly written and beautifully illustrated. I also remember the first time hearing a girl practicing the piano, and I fall in love with the instrument. I went home, and begged my parents to buy me a piano, that was a really big dream, since my parents were factory workers, and even the cheapest piano was way more that we could afford. But they saw my desire, and managed to buy a piano and pay for lessons. After many BECAUSEs I am still inspired by music and sharing the joy of piano playing. Mo is one of my favorite writer. This book is a little bit different than the pigeons, pigs and elephant fantasies, (I love them all) and telling a very relatable story of a girl who was inspired by Schubert's 8th Symphony during her first visit at the concert hall, because her Aunt took her, because her Uncle was sick. And after many BECAUSEs she ...but read the story. It is truly inspirational. A book that you could read over and over again. The illustration is also beautiful. I only gave 5 stars for this book, because 10 stars were not available...:)

I highly recommend this book. As always, a positive and inspirational story by Mo Willems. And the very beautiful illustrations by Amber Ren really bring the story to life and are an absolute joy to look at. His books never disappoint. Reading this book as a family, we each were personally inspired and motivated in different ways because of the book BECAUSE. Bravo!

I bought this book for my elementary school library, and have read it aloud to grades K-5. They all loved it. They got that this is a book about finding your passion, and we’ve talked about how they are on the brink of discovering what sparks their own. When I finished it, one third-grader said, “What a lovely book.” This is not a typical Mo Willems book and you will be disappointed if you expect an Elephant & Piggie-type story.

Beautiful images with a wonderful story. Also drills home the concept of cause and effect. As well as encourages hard work and that ALL work is important. My kids love it and so do I!

This book is beautiful with a sweet and thought-provoking message, but I think sometimes books like this don't really resonate with young kids because they're too abstract. I WAS WRONG. I ordered this book because I liked the idea enough to give it a try with my son. He is on week 4 of piano lessons so I thought the timing was right as well. He absolutely LOVES this book and he "got" it on the first read! We talk about Beethoven and Schubert, and the illustrations really help to get the message across. I really like the emphasis on practicing for years and working hard to achieve the goal. He even asked me to play the song printed at the end (I butchered it, but at least I tried!). The illustrations in this book are beautiful. My son likes to follow the sweeping music around the pages and he notices the little details, like how she went from a keyboard to an upright piano to a grand piano. I am SO glad I decided to order this book!

Every once in awhile, there is an author who can do it all. Mo Willems' Pigeon stories are funny and charming, his Piggie and Gerald stories are sweet and endearing while also funny; and then there is Because. This book is something else. It is so deeply inspiring and moving. My 4-year-old fell in love with it and refused to return it to the library until we bought our own copy. -- so we did! I've lost track of how many times we've read this book, and every time, I am touched by this story. The pictures, too, are beautiful, and I love how the colours in the music notes subtly change from person to person. Please keep being amazing, Mo Willems. My entire family of five children and I all love his books, and I was so very grateful to see his post on Instagram speaking out for the people of Gaza.

My grandson loved the book!

My daughter is 4yo, we read it one night as bed time story, but seems still bit too early for her to understand. I loved it though, I think it's a really beautiful book.

I bought this book for my early childhood music class. It was inspiring with illustrations that communicated well to children. It was hard to tell whether the students or other teachers liked it more ❤️. The book made me tear up!

Love it.. Brought a tear to my eye