"Five minutes is forever!
Five minutes is an eternity!
Only five minutes?
Five minutes is too long.
Five minutes is way too long."
It's all about perspective!
As you can see when reading the opening quote from this new book by the team that brought us Dear Substitute, 2018, without Olivier Tallec's effective and amusing artwork the text would have little meaning for the intended audience. I love to share picture books with children by reading the text without showing the illustrations; it would not be effective at all with this fine book.
Exploring the concept of five minutes with children can lead to impressive differences of opinion. The three collaborators begin with a child peeking into his parents' bedroom at 6:55 when they want five more minutes in bed. Time passes far too quickly and soon there is almost no time to get ready and out of the house by 8! Pair that with a trip to the dry cleaners when the wait is 5 minutes before being served, Interminable!
And so it goes with great variety in the circumstance and clear feelings about how long five minutes does take out of a day. Waiting while a parent shops is vastly different than spending that same amount of time at a pet store. The child whose day the book follows goes from bored to fascinated, depending on the circumstance. It is pretty easy to feel sympathetic because we have all been there at one time or another.
The simple text is paired with entertaining and oft-changing feelings as the father and son spend their day together. A perfect interpretation of those varied feelings is shown in expressive and entertaining artwork. Young listeners will recognize themselves in many of the scenarios presented, making this a book that is sure to be enjoyed, and requested again and again.
A timer set for five minutes as you read will give a real feel for the concept. Five minutes will be up before you know it, giving you time to read it once more.
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