Around the World Right Now

March 15, 2017
Time zones are not always easy to understand.This book starts out in San Francisco, California, at 6 a.m. with a yawning city dweller looking out on a cable car. Each page uses the same format with the time spelled out on the top (-It's seven o'clock in the morning-) and the phrase -And somewhere in the world...- at the bottom. In between, there is a descriptive sentence usually identifying a city and country (or state in the U.S.) for each zone, traveling eastward. A full-bleed painting, often featuring comical animals as well as humans and sights, illustrates each page. (For most locales, residents are depicted, but occasionally only white visitors are seen, as at the Taj Mahal and South Pole Station). There is a timepiece in each picture to look for. Occasionally there are grown-up jokes. -A girl from Ipanema goes walking on a beach- in Rio. Visual jokes for younger readers also appear. At noon, one penguin in the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic poses for another drawing a picture. Famous tourist sites are often the focus. Eventually, the scene returns to San Francisco, but not before a moose nonchalantly walks through the streets of Anchorage, Alaska, at 5 a.m. There are two pages of explanatory material, including instructions for making a sundial. Unfortunately, there is no world map delineating the zones. Straightforward--with a little bit of fun. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

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August 1, 2017

Gr 1-5-A clever nonfiction picture book that introduces the concepts of time zones, continents, and culture. Readers begin their international journey at six o'clock in San Francisco and then progress through each time zone, moving across the Atlantic, roaming through Europe, and so on, before returning to the streets of San Francisco. Each page features a different time zone, along with a short description, and detailed illustrations of local customs and peoples. The authors provide further information and activities on the topic of travel and time zones in the last two pages, adding a welcomed educational component. This is a versatile book that could be used to introduce children to a variety of topics, from geography to time. In addition to teaching concepts, it reinforces a crucial message of unity by featuring children of all ages and races from around the globe. Illustrating 24 different time zones is no small feat, yet Beckman rises to the challenge. VERDICT A high-quality book for our times, in both its educational and inclusive message.-Katherine Hickey, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City

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