cover image The Slowest Book Ever

The Slowest Book Ever

April Pulley Sayre, illus. by Kelly Murphy. Boyds Mills, $16.95 (176p) ISBN 978-1-62091-783-1

For kids accustomed to a fast-moving world, this celebration of slowness may be just the ticket. Sayre (Woodpecker Wham!) explores the topic within the context of broad categories, making the focus not exclusively about slowness, per se, but about the invisible or unnoticed geological and biological processes constantly occurring around (and within) us. Two-color cartoons from Murphy (the Anton and Cecil series) dominate each spread as Sayre addresses slow-moving animals and slow-growing organisms, human processes such as breathing and sleep, the 2,000-year construction of the Great Wall of China, space exploration, and more. Presenting big concepts in an inviting, eye-catching format, Sayre leaves readers with the message that “if you think slowly enough, the entire world can be amazing.” Ages 8–12. [em]Author’s agent: Emily Mitchell, Wernick & Pratt Agency. (Apr.) [/em]