What parent hasn’t heard: Are we there yet? When will it be my birthday again? Is it almost time for…? Time — and its passage — is tough for children to grasp.

But what is time? How can time be measured in ways that mean something to kids?

Younger children — and the adults in their lives — will appreciate a recent book entitled A Second is a Hiccup (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic). “A second is a hiccup –/The time it takes to kiss your mom/Or jump a rope/Or turn around.”

Seconds turn into minutes, hours, then weeks, months and years — all of which are introduced through familiar experiences, accessible language and appealing illustrations.

This book made me think about what kids and adults can do in a space of time — and provided a conceptual framework to talk about it with children. What else can we do in a second beyond hiccup? In a minute? Hour? Month? Do the seasons look like this everywhere?

Sharing this book also reassures children that through “Sunshine, snow and rain and squall/Winter, spring, summer, fall…/As time unfolds in all its ways/You will be loved –/As surely as a second is a hiccup.”

About the Author

Maria Salvadore is Reading Rockets’ consultant for children’s literature and literacy. Maria curates our themed booklists and writes the blog, Page by Page, which explores the best ways to use kids’ books both inside and outside of the classroom. She leads parent workshops for Ready To Learn (RTL) at WETA Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C. She has also taught children’s literature at the University of Maryland, reviewed books for School Library Journal, and has served on various book award committees, including the Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, Golden Kite, and the Caldecott Committee.

Publication Date
May 31, 2007
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