“Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be?” by Junia Wonders

• 01/30/2022
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Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be?

Junia Wonders (author) Chiara Nasi (illustrator)
Gmür Verlag (2021)
ISBN: 978-3-907130-16-2
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (01/2022)

“Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be?” is an age-appropriate story for readers of all ages – because sometimes even adults aren’t sure what they want to be when they grow up. Even for adults our interests may change with each season, so each time we look in the mirror it could likely be a different answer to the question, “have you ever wondered what you will be?”.

With young children at home, I find myself asking them this question too every so often; it’s fun to hear their varying answers. I keep reminding my kids that going to school will help them learn about different things that might make them second guess their original decision(s). In Wonders’ book, kids are shown contemplating their future while in a variety of settings – at home in the mirror, playing at the beach, and gazing at the stars. It is stressed that the future can come at any given moment – heck, understanding that tomorrow is already the future can be thought-provoking for some, but also understanding that it is never too early to be thinking about the future (in a healthy way) is the right path to take, too.

Readers are informed that it is all good and well to be thinking about their future, but also to realize that depending on their dream, it may likely take some work – physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual – to achieve their dream. Adults especially can relate to the FYI that there will be many failures and bumps as they pursue(d) their dream, but hopefully all readers have noticed that moving forward is the only option when you want something so badly. Adults can stress this part of the story to their younger readers and be proud and show off how they reached their goals after overcoming obstacles (years of schooling, financial setbacks, life changes, etc.). In the end, a vast list of occupations are listed for the reader(s) that may be difficult for younger readers to understand (i.e. thespian, equestrian, and florist), and beneficial for older ones to explain for both gained knowledge and help with the picture quiz in the back.

“Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be?” is a magical book with whimsical pictures that are calming and empowering at the same time. The message is straight-forward and clear and the authors mention every little thing to do with being a human and figuring out yourself, which can be difficult for some. As previously mentioned, this book is appropriate for readers of all ages because the message is applicable at any age and stage of life. I found the book inspiring and my kids loved to look at the pictures. My daughter (7) thinks she already knows what she wants to be, but this book opened up other careers that she was not aware of before. I recommend this book for an everyday read, but also when kids become stressed, frustrated, or flustered when thinking about the future – there’s some good and useful material in these pages.