Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett, Stacey Schuett (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

School Library Journal called Stacey Schuett's stunning authorial debut "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." And in a starred review, Publishers Weekly added, "Schuett proves as nimble with words as with a paintbrush."  It's a good-night wish that circles the globe.  

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. (Aug.)

Children's Literature

The beautiful illustrations in this book tell the story of the time zones throughout the world. The pictures are painted on top of a map highlighting places in the world. The word "somewhere" occurs many, many, many times throughout the book. Schuett has illustrated many books including Outside the Window by Anna Egan Smucker, however, delightful book is the first that she has both written and illustrated. A note to the readers explaining the concept of time zones as well as a map of the time zones appears at the beginning of the book.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3What'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

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