The Slowest Book Ever

Everyone probably is familiar with the story of the tortoise and the hare. On reading the story, one is reminded that slow and steady is often a pretty good way to go and when reading this book, it definitely pays to slow down and savor all the wonderfully slow things presented. There are nine sections including nature, animals, plants, geology, stuff, and more. There are also “Two pages on which to rest your face as you ponder the slowness of the universe.” That alone give one a flavor of the book which is a bit irreverent and fun.

Author April Pulley Sayre has explored the world far and wide to find the slowest things to talk about — everything from the expected snail to the largely unexpected cow digestion and the weathering of tombstones and the incredibly slow growth of the Atlantic Ocean. Super fun illustrations, all in black, white, and various tones of orange, help tell the stories and keep young readers interested. Sayre includes a good glossary and index which sandwich a must-be-read end notes section. The writing in this terrific tome is superb — crisp, funny, and smart. Kids will love this one.