Telling Time: How to Tell Time on Digital and Analog Clocks
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Beginning with a robust "TICK" and ending with an equally bold "TOCK," Older acts as both an encouraging coach and cheerleader for youngsters learning about time. He defines the concept clearly, citing two meanings-when things happen and how long things take. After delving into how time can be broken down (from a second to a century), the author gets down to the nitty-gritty of telling time. He begins with the easier digital-clock face. Once that is thoroughly explained, he ponders the more difficult analog clock. Readers are taken through the process of reading it, and little tests are thrown in to keep students on track. Answers are given in the text, along with rewarding smiley faces. ("Yes! It's seven-thirty. You deserve another smiley face!") The cartoon illustrations, showing children and many, many types of clocks are colorful, plentiful, and inviting. A rather silly poem is appended to help readers remember how long things take: "Sixty seconds make a minute,/that's a lot of seconds, innit?" Although a.m. and p.m. are discussed ("-breakfast is at six A.M., but supper is at six P.M.") they are never really defined. Beyond these minuscule qualms, this jovial look at time and time telling is as handy as they come.Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WICopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.