Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Surprisingly deep, interesting look at beloved characters.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Related to the Who Is?, Where Is?, and What Is? series, the WHAT IS THE STORY OF? series gives readers a detailed look at some of the most beloved characters to captivate societies for decades. Longevity is key here; each book reviews the long history of the character in context with global events, technological breakthroughs, and social movements over decades. Each book has a bibliography and a fold-out, glossy timeline of events at the end, and sidebars throughout the book give details related to the main topic.
Is It Any Good?
Like the related series, this one is packed with details that go well beyond the focus of each book but stay grounded in the topic. A look at how Hello Kitty came into being includes information about Japanese society in the mid-20th century, business and social customs, and more. These books are much more than meets the eye, and have a fabulous level of detail for both young readers and adults. There's a lot here to catch the interest of reluctant readers, and more than enough new vocabulary and facts for proficient readers with a variety of interests.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what happened in the world that helped make the character such a success. How long did the creators work before the characters were so beloved?
What do you love about the character?
What details did you learn about the character that you didn't know before?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : History
- Topics : Arts , History
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Penguin Workshop
- Publication date : April 16, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 112
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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