I Can Explain

Nose picking? Nail biting? Wiping dirty hands on clothes? Before you call them “bad manners,” consider the compelling reasons that may be behind these behaviors. For instance: Jumping on the bed is great practice for when the road becomes a trampoline! Not being able to sit still might actually be the chair’s fault! And what better way to train for the International Straw Chewing Contest than by chewing on straws?This laugh-out-loud picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake unpacks the reasons behind a variety of relatable behaviors. Clever and creative, it will inspire children and parents alike to expand their powers of reason and view their own habits in a new, humorous, and—most importantly—forgiving light. After all, there’s an explanation for everything!

"Yoshitake provides a wholly original way for parents and caregivers to discuss good manners and healthy behavior with their children through the inventive lens of another creative (albeit fictional) child." - Booklist , "As the child explains to a skeptical mother in Yoshitake's simply drawn cartoon scenes, it's all perfectly reasonable... fidgeting is the fault of an ill-tempered chair, a "Dash Bug" is to blame whenever the protagonist runs down a hall... The matching serious expressions on the faces of the two figures crank the drollery up an extra notch. [I Can Explain is] an easy pick."?-Kirkus Reviews

Shinsuke Yoshitake is the author-illustrator of many award-winning picture books, including New York Times Notable Book There Must Be More Than That!, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book The Boring Book, and I Can Be Anything. His books have been translated into more than ten languages. He lives in Japan.