Review by Maia Dueck
Simon & Schuster, 2023
42 pages, Hardcover, $23.99 CAN, 9781665904407
Picture Book, Ages 4-8
Science/Nature
“525,600 minutes could drag on and on and on as you wait and wait and wait.”
While I don’t find myself sitting down to read a children’s picture book much these days – a failing on my part, I know—365: How to Count a Year by Miranda Paul and Julien Chung inspired me to seek out more of these endearing and informative narratives, and I hope it does the same for you.
This short book packs a lot into its few pages, guiding its young readers on a journey as it seeks to break down the overwhelming idea of 365 days in a year into tangible amounts like weeks and months for its young readers such as “365 goodnights,” “52 sleep-in Saturdays,” and “12 trips to the mailbox.” The unlikely illustrated friendship of our young protagonist and a lion, who sometimes represents the sun, provides both a lens for the reader to look at the story through and an interesting dynamic for kids to follow along with.
The text of this book balances the information about the cycle of a year with a humour that catches the reader by surprise by divvying up these days and minutes in unexpected ways. Ending the book with a helpful explanation of calendars and ways to count years provides readers with a real-life application for the tools they learned. I liked this part because it includes images of adults or guardians reading to their kids and encouraging them to think about what they’ve learned. The book doesn’t drag on, nor does it dwell unnecessarily, again demonstrating an understanding of its target readership. Some pages do have a lot of text on them, which could be difficult for younger kids to follow along with, but it is balanced out by the illustrations.
Both kids and adults will enjoy this jam-packed read with colourful illustrations and information that is presented in a clear and funny way. Adults will be able to point to the pictures and notice hidden details – such as the exact amount of popcorn boxes on one page, which equals 52 for the 52 weeks in a year – while kids will be able to enjoy and learn from the story.
Maia Dueck is an avid reader and writer currently enrolled in the Creative Writing program at UBC. Her favorite trope is probably enemies-to-lovers.
YOUNG ADULTING 