Slow Down

Starred review from August 1, 2020
An enchanting exploration of everyday miracles. Young readers have long delighted in anthologies of natural extremes--but what if they found equal enjoyment in processes slightly more sluggish but no less majestic? Somewhere between a picture book and a comics compendium, this immaculately illustrated tome intended for elementary-age naturalists is sure to charm observers outside that audience as well. Inside, the authors suspend 50 "moments" from the natural world--from falling meteors to metamorphosis in frogs and butterflies, cloud formation to salmon spawning--in time, allowing readers to review each occasion at their leisure. In each section, several paragraphs of preamble provide a bit of context for the examined event; image-based sequential storytelling then breaks the occurrence down into constituent steps. Williams' concise, melodic captions impart essential information in easy-to-digest portions: chewier than mere tidbits but nothing that would overwhelm one's appetite. The feast is found in Hartas' magical, delicate illustrations, which balance steadfast scientific accuracy with the slightest possible anthropomorphic exaggerations. All told, the format appropriately encourages gradual consumption: This is not a single-sitting read! Throughout, the book urges readers to get out, slow down, and take the world in; at the end, it even provides sample practices for engaged observation. A list of further reading presents a curated list of conservation- and mindfulness-related nonprofits and organizations while a selected bibliography directs readers hoping to take a deeper dive into a topic of interest. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.2-by-23-inch double-page spreads viewed at 55% of actual size.) Splendiferous! (Informational picture book. 4-12)

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