“How old do you have to be to ask questions?”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish How Old Do You Have To Be To Tell Jokes? (And Other Important Questions) by Mr. Henry. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
Children don’t ask small questions.
They ask the ones that wobble between wonder and wisdom.
“Why is the sky blue?”
“Do dogs dream?”
“How old do you have to be to tell a joke?”
What adults sometimes brush aside as “cute” or “funny” are really the seeds of curiosity, tiny sparks that, if nurtured, can grow into big ideas. This book, How Old Do You Have To Be To Tell Jokes?, reminds us that every question matters, no matter how simple or strange it sounds. Because sometimes the questions themselves are the answer.
Every once in a while, a children’s book comes along that doesn’t just entertain kids but also makes grown-ups smile, pause, and maybe even chuckle a little. How Old Do You Have To Be To Tell Jokes? (And Other Important Questions) by Mr. Henry is exactly that kind of book.
At first glance, the cover pulls you in: a rainbow rug, curious kids with their hands shooting up, and a teacher holding a book with a giant question mark. It’s bright, playful, and somehow manages to capture the magical energy of a real classroom, the kind where questions pop up faster than you can answer them.
And that’s kind of the point. Mr. Henry has a way of treating kids’ questions not as “silly” or “random,” but as meaningful. The kind of questions adults sometimes laugh off, like, “How old do you have to be to tell a joke?”, become the starting point for conversations about curiosity, humor, and growing up.
Mr. Henry (yes, that’s how his students know him) has been teaching for years, and you can tell he truly listens to kids. He doesn’t just collect their questions, he treasures them. He turns them into a book that feels less like a lecture and more like a celebration of curiosity. That’s probably why the kids on the cover look so eager. You can practically hear them saying, “Ooh, I’ve got one!”
The book itself is funny, thoughtful, and sneakily wise. Parents will enjoy it because it reminds them of the weird, wonderful things their kids ask at the dinner table. Teachers will appreciate it because it models patience and respect for student voices. And kids? Well, they’ll just be delighted to see their kind of questions front and center.
If you’re wondering what makes Mr. Henry’s work special, it’s this: he gets that questions are as important as answers. Maybe even more important. His book isn’t about shutting kids down with “because I said so” responses, it’s about leaving space for laughter, wonder, and discovery.
In a world that rushes to give answers, How Old Do You Have To Be To Tell Jokes? slows down and says, “Hey, let’s think about that together.”
So, if you’ve got a curious kid at home (or honestly, if you’re just a curious adult who remembers being one), this is a book worth checking out. Mr. Henry has given us something simple but special, reminder that questions can be just as magical as answers.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Tell Jokes? (And Other Important Questions) by Mr. Henryis now available for purchase via the ARPress Bookstore.