What was that Bang?!?: Understanding through conversation

BANG!!’… "What was that sound?!" asks an inquisitive 9-year-old Bean. "It was a balloon bursting" responds his seemingly sure-footed father Meabo. "Was there a bang inside the balloon?" responds the now even more confused child. As is often the case with children, a simple question can easily lead a conversation down a rabbit hole of what, why, when, and how. So begins a journey deeper (both physiologically and intellectually) than Bean had ever thought possible.  In a world where information is literally at our fingertips, it’s easy to just respond with an answer to an ostensibly basic question from a child. Simple factual answers often lack context, and abstract analogies can provide even further confusion. The graphic educational fiction novel ‘What was that BANG?!’ is a dialogue between two characters Meabo, and his son Bean. Through playful conversation, the characters take readers through the journey a sound can take from source to conscious perception. Beyond leaving children with just scientific facts, the story encourages active questioning, developing logical thought processes, and instilling a growth mindset.