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I think it’s fair to say that most of us slowed down this year. But, while we may be running around less than we did a few months ago, how many of us have slowed our minds to match? Enough to take in a cloud forming in the sky or watch a ladybug take flight? Slow Down by Rachel Williams, illustrated by Freya Hartas celebrates the beauty of stopping to take notice with 50 simple, wondrous moments in nature.
Each of the 50 stories – “A Bee Pollinates a Flower” or “A Tadpole Becomes a Frog,” for instance – are part story, part science. Over a two-page spreads, Williams takes us through the steps of a quiet event in nature. Some are things that happen over just a few minutes (“A Horse Gallops Through a Meadow”). Some unfold, typically unnoticed, over a much longer period (“A Spider Weaves a Web”).
Hartas’ drawings illustrate the stories’ details using an eye-soothing color pallete of primarily neutral blues, greens, pinks, and spicey browns. It’s a welcoming, whimsical place, Hartas’ nature.
We have pored over Slow Down for a couple of months now, and it’s hard to say whether my 7 year old or I love this book more. It has accompanied her to bed many nights, a more soothing read-yourself-to-sleep book you’ll rarely find. She is a science lover, as well, and this collection is a little different from most of the jam-packed information books we usually read. The science is solid, but it unfolds at a story’s pace, and with personality, rather than through quick bullet points of fun-facts.
Slow Down has been a welcome addition to our family’s collection. It’s also beautiful enough to give as a special gift. I think the age range for this one is broad, from about 4 all the way up to pre-teens (possibly beyond). This would be a gorgeous addition to a primary school teacher’s classroom, as well.
At a time when anxieties are running high, slowing down to the pace of “Moss Drinks In a Woodland Rain Shower” and remembering to notice something like “A Rainbow Appears” is a worthwhile prescription for kids and adults alike.
Spend more time in nature with your artsplorers with our Music of Nature Scavenger Hunt (free printable).
Slow Down: Bring Calm to a Busy World With 50 Nature Stories by Rachel Williams, Illustrated by Freya Hartas is published in Australia by Walker Books. It is originally published in the United Kingdom by Magic Cat.
Purchase in Australia – $28.25 via Booktopia
In the United States, pre-order for September 1, 2020 – $24.99 on Amazon
We were given a copy of Slow Down for review consideration by Walker Books. Opinions are all our own.