What’s That For? centres on the question every child has asked a thousand and one times. And who can blame the adults if they occasionally embellish the truth to keep things fun?

As curious as the famous George, Lulu wants to know the purpose of objects like fire hydrants, engagement rings, rolling pins, and tissues. The explanations she receives from the cheeky adults in her life lean toward fantasy rather than fact, much to everyone’s delight. For example, fire hydrants make rainbows, rings capture light, and rolling pins help you grow tall. This reader was a little grossed out by the story grandma tells about what used tissues are for (but no spoilers here). 

Eventually, Lulu joins in the meaning‑making, leading her brother into an imaginative adventure of their own. 

Kids will connect with Lulu’s insatiable quest for knowledge, but perhaps a clearer logic behind the objects chosen, or a touch more truth‑telling about how the world works, would have strengthened the narrative. After all, fire hydrants are fascinating in their own right, and the history of rolling pins is improbably long. 

Still, this book’s charm is anchored in Lulu’s enthusiasm and her family’s care. Illustrations by Virginie Lacoste exude warmth, and the wide‑eyed characters on every page are convincing that curiosity is as much about seeing as it is believing, and that the job of a good story is to bring us closer together.mRb