Somewhere in the World Right Now: (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

by Stacey Schuett (Author) "Somewhere in the world right now, it's deepest night..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
An experienced illustrator, first-time author Schuett (I'll See You in My Dreams) proves as nimble with words as with a paintbrush. At 8:00 p.m., a child tucked in her bed in Boston listens to her father read a story. But at that very moment, "Somewhere else, in velvety darkness, elephants sleep standing up, swaying gently from side to side." A single moment telescopes into an entire day as Schuett highlights contemporaneous activities around the world, setting her text and illustrations atop background maps. Gently scumbled and luminously colored, these maps supply the geographical location for each vignette. Intimate prose and atmospheric images blend the mundane ("People go to work, stores open"), the exotic ("jaguars glide through the jungle"), the mysterious ("A boy hides a note for a friend to find"), and the humorous (a dog runs off with a worker's lunch). While youngest readers will grasp the basic idea of different "times" in different locations, older children will recognize the orderly "zones" as the book's vignettes progress from morning to night (and bedtime). More advanced readers may take up the stickier abstractions of the international dateline. So soothingly written and structured that it can double as a bedtime book, this unique work affords an extraordinarily compelling, clear approach to a complex topic. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?What's happening around the world when it is one o'clock a.m. in England? Lots! Exploring this fascinating concept, this story takes children around the world to show what's going on at the exact same moment in other areas. A time-zone map on the endpapers, which includes the times and names of places shown in the pictures, allows readers to follow the action around the globe. Schuett's illustrations, each overlaid onto a map, capture the mystery of early morning hours on the plains of Kenya, the freshness of a new day dawning in India, and the subtle humor of a dog running off with a worker's lunch in Russia at noon. Her story takes readers through busy cities and family homes, rainforests and swampland, exploring all varieties of settings. The poetic text encourages them to look deeper into the pictures for hidden details. A book that is perfect for sparking an interest in geography, emphasizing the amazing concept that at the same moment we are getting ready to sleep, other people are starting a new day.?Christina Linz, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (August 29, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679865373
• ISBN-13: 978-0679865377
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #994,296 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is wonderful!, August 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Somewhere in the World Right Now (Reading Rainbow Book) (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful, colorful book that is very well written and is a great plot line. It follows the activities of various people around the world at the same moment in time - explaining about time zones. It starts with a baker in London and ends with a child going to sleep in Boston. Each page/location has lovely illustrations, including an overlay of a map of that city. It makes a lovely gift, especially for children who have contact with other countries (or parents who want to expose their kids to other cultures and countries). I've bought several copies for friends and family!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have you ever wondered what people in Alaska are doing NOW?, August 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Somewhere in the World Right Now: (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

Have you ever wondered what it is like, right now, on the other side of the World? What people in different countries are doing, right now? With this book you can get a glimps of Kenya in velvety darkness, day break in India, Australia in late afternoon shade........and on around the globe. Also learn about how and why daylight savings time came about, and the reason for the Internation Date line........and why it's crooked!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a lovely and important book, July 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Somewhere in the World Right Now (Reading Rainbow Book) (Paperback)

Schuett is able to gently explain the concept of time zones using beautiful, soft language and lovely illustrations that mix paintings with maps of the world. Her reader's note is for a more advanced reader, but the book itself reads like a lullaby. A perfect bedtime read that will, no doubt, provoke a multitude of questions about our world and other cultures. Highly recommended.