Tisha and Mommy are always having to hurry up. What would happen if they slowed down? A gentle, gorgeously illustrated story of mindfulness—and sharing the small moments.Tisha was catching a blossom in her backyard.“Hurry up,” cried Mommy. “You’ll be late for school.”Tisha has spent the entire day rushing. She has to hustle for the bus in the morning, though she wants to stop and listen to the sounds around her. She has to quickly put her crayons away at school, though she’s not finished with her drawing. She even has to speed through recess so she doesn’t miss lunch. So when Mommy picks her up, Tisha asks if they can please “have a little slowdown.” What if they walked instead of taking the bus? What if they counted cars and seagulls, umbrellas and hats? What if they simply sat on a bench in the sunshine and gave names to the pigeons in the park? From the creators of
Grandpa’s Top Threes comes a beautifully illustrated, tenderly told story about taking the time to experience the world around us, listen to one another, and enjoy the little things in life.
On sale: May 17, 2022
Age: 2-5 years
Grade: Up to Kindergarten
Page count: 32 Pages
ISBN: 9781536221985
Wendy Meddour is an award-winning author for children whose titles include
Grandpa's Top Threes and
Lubna and Pebble, both illustrated by Daniel Egnéus;
Stefano the Squid: Hero of the Deep, illustrated by Duncan Beedie; and
How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel, illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown. Wendy Meddour lives in the UK.
Daniel Egnéus is an award-winning illustrator whose work has been published around the world, including special illustrated editions of Neil Gaiman’s
Anansi Boys,
Black Dog,
The Monarch of the Glen, and
American Gods. He has previously worked with Wendy Meddour on
Grandpa's Top Threes and
Lubna and Pebble. Daniel Egnéus lives in Athens, Greece.
Egnéus’s illustrations are lush, and include a variety of perspectives and points of view. . . Combine that with eye-popping spreads festooned with blossoming trees that evoke all the meandering wonder and play this little protagonist desires, and his work here is downright honor worthy. . . . In a world full of hurry up, this title encourages children and their adults to slow down and catch the blossoms.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Egnéus’s mixed media pictures situate wide-eyed Tisha with her endearing trio of top-knots in an urban setting rich in sensory stimulation . . . Meddour’s message will land squarely on adult readers and child audience: Chill out!
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
The illustrations represent a close-up perspective that depicts Tisha's world as she herself might see it. The text and title embrace the Japanese practice of hanami, a tradition of taking time to enjoy the tranquility of nature.
—School Library Connection
Charming and vibrant. . . Artful and striking illustrations produce a multitude of visual textures that delineate individual blooms. . . A sweet reminder to pause and ponder life’s everyday wonders.
—Kirkus Reviews
