I requested this book as I thought it would be interesting for my kids aged 7 and 11. They both enjoyed looking through it and picking out facts. Time can be a hard concept for children to get their heads round and I found this book good in setting the subject out in an accessible way.

Great educational read for kids! A fascinating look at time in ways that we don't normally consider, from the smallest time scales to time travel and paradoxes. A delight for young nerds!

5★ WONDERFUL!
“Time has been worshipped and studied, used as a tool and sold as a product, caused riots, and made people’s fortunes. This book looks at how time has been harnessed in history and some of the wild ways people kept track of time in the past.”

This is a fascinating, detailed, attractively presented combination of philosophy, science, history, and sociology. I can’t think of anything it has overlooked. I’ll add a few parts of some of the illustrations to give an idea of what it looks like.

Near the beginning is EVERYDAY TIME. This page points to examples of how we use time in modern society. I’ve split it into two parts and am quoting some of the captions, starting up in the hills, moving down to the water, and then across town.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“Many sports rely on time, from cycling time trials and timed playing periods in soccer, to runners trying to beat their best time over a set distance.
. . .
You can hire bikes and pleasure boats by the hour, as well as the expertise of people like tech repairers or personal trainers.
. . .
Timetables set out the school day so students know where they should be when. School hours vary between countries. The school day in Taiwan starts at 7:30am for some chidren and lasts up to 9 ½ hours.
. . .
Factories rely on ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing where stocks of raw materials or parts are delivered just before they’re needed on the assembly line.
. . .
The length of time that traffic lights stay red or green is sometimes altered to let traffic flow more smoothly.
. . .
Parking meters are timed. A fine awaits those who are late!
. . .
People rely on the scheduled services of trains, trams, and buses to get to where they’re going on time.
. . .
A gasoline engine relies on perfect timing to fire its cylinders at the right moment to produce power. If the timing is out, the car will use more fuel or might not work at all.”

The other side of the page is the building next to the car park. From top to bottom, we see different uses of everyday time.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
Upstairs we see a video gamer, probably playing against the clock to advance a level or to win a race against another player. Downstairs, a man will have timed the baking of his cake.

Downstairs again we see dancing to music and know that musicians have to stay in time with each other. Next door to her is an office with a computer that has an internal clock, the same as smartphones and other electronic devices that need to stay in sync.

Down to street level, we see one shop window with a CLOSED sign, and another with kitchen appliances.

“Time determines when stores, libraries, and other services open and close.
. . .
Shops are full of devices that claim to save you time and effort.”

Time as a concept is hard to explain. Goodness knows, people have turned their minds to it forever. There is BIG TIME – cosmic time – and there is SMALL TIME – like nanoseconds.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“Light takes a long time to travel through the vast Universe to reach Earth. When we see a star that is 1 million light years away, the view we get is of how it looked 1 million years ago. So, all our views of space are looking back in time.”

I know that’s what we’re told, but it’s hard to get my head around. And how does time work, anyway?

Here’s a page called QUESTION TIME, with discussions of Lines or Circles, Forward or Back, What is ‘NOW’? and ILLUSION OR ABSOLUTE?

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“Ibn Sīnā was a Muslim philosopher who thought that time was created by our memories and what we expect to happen.

Thinkers like Saint Augustine and the French philosopher, Henri Bergson agreed that time was an illusion—something in human thought used to help people sort experiences and events into order, a bit like a cross between a diary, a desk planner, and a filing cabinet.

Famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton disagreed. He believed in absolute time, and was convinced that time would exist even if the Universe was empty. To him, time is independent of other things and works the same way wherever you are in the Universe.”

There are illustrations of many of the famous clocks around the world, alarm clocks (including a French bed that lifts up to tip you out that one man adapted to have it tip him into his bath!), but there are far too many to capture here.

We look at longitude and latitude – how did explorers know where they were to map the world? Then there’s a terrific explanation of the accuracy of GPS and all the ways it is used, from maps to animal tracking to buoys at sea to mark oil spills, etc.

Time zones, daylight savings, geological time (fossils, mountains growing), lifespans, reading tree rings, body part functions (the body creates 3.8 million cells per second – really??!!) – you get the idea.

Of course, we have our own body clocks. Some of us are larks, some are night owls, and all of us can be subject to jet lag when our rhythm is broken by travel.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“Your body runs on a series of approximately 24-hour-long patterns or cycles known as circadian rhythms. They’re partly responsible for the times you feel tired or energetic, hungry, alert, or in need of a good sleep.”

How about animals? Some see things faster than we do, which is what makes it so hard to swat flies. Here is one who can actually modify its time perception to prime itself for hunting.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“Swordfish are able to change the rate at which they perceive time. Normally, they see far fewer frames of action every second than humans (around one-fifth as many), so time appears to pass quickly. Before a swordfish goes off hunting, though, it pumps more blood to its eyes, where a special muscle heats it up by 18–27 °F. Warmer eyes means the swordfish’s eyes send signals to its brain much more quickly. This seemingly slows down time, making it easier for the swordfish to spot quick flashes of movement that might be prey.”

There some examples of comparing times – how long some things seem to take, and how fast time can fly. This one caught my eye.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration here.
“In the time it took John Isner and Nicolas Mahut to play the longest-ever professional tennis match (11 hours and 5 minutes), Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa climbed Mount Everest with 8 minutes to spare. His 2003 ascent is the quickest so far.”

Time to spare, indeed! Incidentally, the book doesn’t mention that the 2010 Isner-Mahut Wimbledon match took place over THREE DAYS, due twice to nightfall, because of when they resumed play. Gelu, on the other hand, not only climbed to the top in less time, he came back down, so that the whole up-and-back was only 18 hours and 20 minutes!

[I couldn’t not look it up, could I?]

Judging time, memories, brain bias. Space time, relativity, time travel and travel time (which is so much shorter than it used to be). Astrology and ancient calendars. Stonehenge. Super computers, time-wasters. record-breakers.

This is without doubt, one of the most interesting, engaging books I’ve seen about such a wide-ranging subject. It’s the kind of thing that keeps kids curious, wanting to know more. [Even I had to go fact-check the tennis match-Everest climb story.]

There is an excellent, thorough index and glossary.

Put this in every school without delay. This is the way we spark the interest of tomorrow’s scientists (and explain concepts to the adults like me in their lives as well).

Thanks to #NetGalley and Quarto Publishing’s words & pictures for the copy for review of #TheBookofTime

Wow, I had no idea how much I knew and didn't know about time! This child-friendly nonfiction book covers a lot of information in a visually appealing format. Towards the end, there are a couple of areas with games to try and questions to consider. I'm already putting together the list of kids I know would like a physical copy of this book.

A most suitable book on this subject, which it handles in informative and well-illustrated double-paged chapters. It might confuse some by starting with so much space science, but let's face it, the year, day and suchlike all come from looking out into the galaxy. After that we have this history, that spread of wacky clocks and alarm clocks, and so much more, to really get the young audiences genned up in time. Indeed the subjects might give a feeling of the too trivial, when you leap from French Revolutionary Time and other attempts to change things to geological time, but the combined result of these pages is a success – this is entertaining stuff, and of course rather too important to be deemed just trivia. That's not to say I wouldn't want the serious stuff like geological eras alongside the space stuff earlier, but you can't have everything. That randomness aside, it's time to get this book! A strong four stars.

The Book of Time is a fascinating and informative child-friendly romp through fun facts, statistics and concepts associated with the notion of time. Presented in a vibrant and colourful way, there is enough information on each double page spread and throughout to whet a child's appetite but not to overwhelm which is crucial. It can easily be dipped in and out of for more than one reading session and is sure to bring lots of entertaining talking points to mind and sparks to a little one's imagination. Complete with enticing graphics and a non-cluttered format, this is a great book for children interested in all things time-related.

In a Nutshell: Fascinating and comprehensive!

Honestly, the only reason I went for this book is the author. The title didn’t hold much appeal to me. I was almost like, ‘How can there be an entire 100-page book about time? How much can one talk about time?’ But I had read Clive Gifford’s A Quick History of Money, A Quick History of Maths, and Powered by Plants, and other than being informative, the one thing all these books had in common was their mesmerising scope. I should have known Gifford wouldn’t disappoint even this time.

Think of everything you can that’s connected to time. When I asked myself the same question, I couldn’t go much beyond the basics: time divisions (hours, minutes, days, months, years, dates), clocks, time zones, daylight savings time, and other such fundamental points. The book goes so much beyond this tiny list, expounding on topics right from cosmic time to nanoseconds, seasonal changes and planetary orbits, global calendars and cultural differences in time/date calculations, internal body clocks and extra-worldly GPS satellites, whimsical alarms and odd lifespans, animals’ abilities wrt time… No matter what aspect of time you can think of, it is covered in this book. I am so awed by how meticulously and comprehensively the content has been researched and written.

The above information is presented in a logical flow, with every page full of informative text blocks and filled with detailed illustrations. This is the kind of book that is better read physically than digitally as the information can seem quite cramped otherwise.

The book is aimed at middle graders, and the language as well as content will work perfectly for this age group. The book can be a great learning aid at home as well as in classrooms and libraries.

Definitely worth your time.

4.5 stars.

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Book of Time”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Wonderful! 🕛 Detailed, interesting, engaging and fun! Big time, small time, space time, once in a lifetime, time travel, the future. Every time you can think of with endless facts and helpful, stand out illustrations. Great read!⏳⏰

🕰️ This is the ultimate book about time! From clock time, calendar time, space time, geologic time, life time, and more! Get ready to learn all about how time can be measured.

🕰️ The book is filled with amazing illustrations that help explain the concepts discussed on each page. See the slides above for some examples of pages from the book.

🕰️ This book includes science, history, and even time-travel! This is a must have if your kiddo is interested in the concept of time in any way.

Thank you @netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group/Words & Pictures for an eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is a great guide for children to understand the concept of time, how things have changed throughout time, and any other things time-related. From discussing how to tell time to what each era entails, this is the one-stop book of everything time. It's a great place to start answering questions about time.

The Book of Time by Clive Gifford and illustrated by Teo Georgiev (Quarto Publishing, August 2023) is an absolute treasure trove of information about all different aspects of time. To say it covers a wide range of topics would be an understatement — I’m genuinely at a loss for words when it comes to describing the sheer breadth and depth of this book. (And now I’m going to find some words to describe it anyway!)

When I initially picked it up, I expected a historical exploration of clocks, calendars and various methods of time keeping. However, the book of time goes above and beyond those expectation, delving into scientific ways of measuring time, such as zeptoseconds, geological time, and speed of light. It even explores intriguing questions like, “Can Animals Tell the Time?” and how our body measures time, as well as what we do to waste time!

One of the things that impressed me most about Gifford’s work is how seamlessly each two-page section follows into the next. The transitions are so natural that nothing seems like mere trivia. Every topic is intricately linked to the overarching concept of time, even when you’d never think to include it. For example, after reading about the necessity of clocks, I learned in subsequent sections about advances in clock designs, unique creations (such as a clock that knits a sweater over the course of a year), and the invention of alarm clock. These sections begin with a headline and a couple of sentences introducing the subject. The rest of the pages give a wealth of facts, explanations, and trivia alongside friendly illustrations and diagrams.

Thanks to the vibrant and plentiful illustrations throughout, The Book of Time will be classified a nonfiction book suitable for middle grade readers. However, don’t let that deter you — readers of all ages will find themselves engrossed in the subjects. The book also includes a glossary and index, making it a valuable research for both research or browsing.

If you can’t tell, I highly recommend The Book of Time for anyone interested in the subject. Clive Gifford and Teo Georgiev have created a masterful and engaging exploration of time will captivate and educate not just young readers, but readers of all ages.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's not often when reading children's books that I read something that I wish I had growing up. The Book of Time was that good. As I turned every page, I felt like a child again. My love of learning and curiosity thrived. I can't wait for my children to be old enough to share it with them.

From the big bang to world records, types of clocks, and architecture over time, this book has something for everyone. Each 2-page spread covers a separate topic, so it's easy to pick and choose where a child's interest lies and add this to a history or science lesson. The illustrations nicely complement the text while being realistic and accurate. It's a book I can see myself coming back to again and again.

Recommended age: 10-12 years (Late elementary to middle school)

Writing style: Each page is broken into short blurbs, about a paragraph long. Because it's a book on time and history, there are a lot of numbers and years listed. It may help to reinforce the comparisons between them.

Lexile range (unofficial): 1010L - 1200L
Sentence length: 5/5
Word frequency: 3/5

Illustration style: The illustrations by Teo Georgiev are vivid, colorful, and clear. They link directly to the facts presented through the use of arrows, timelines, and text backgrounds.

Reality-based: The Book of Time covers the history and science around time and clocks.

Disclaimer: Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this eCopy book to review

This was a fascinating book all about time. The information was presented clearly with each double spread being about the different aspects of time. The illustrations are great and help bring the text to life making it easier to understand.

It was easy to dip in and out of and to look up answers to most pressing questions such as when did time begin?

The Book of Time is super browsable, full of interesting facts, and the illustrations are great. It’s a great introduction to time—in all its many forms!

What a fantastic book for adults and children alike. It is filled with all manner of interesting facts exploring how clocks and indeed the process of telling time has evolved. It is not a book to read in one go, more a book to dip in and out of. Each double page is based around one theme with colourful illustrations and just enough text. I am very excited to buy a copy and share it with my current class as I know that they will find lots of fascinating facts.

More than trivia, less than an encyclopedia. A book for EVERYONE!
Learn about so many aspects of time and perception of time as you read together and enjoy the vivid illustrations by Teo Georgiev which are delightful, imaginative, clear, and colorful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/words & pictures via NetGalley. Thank you!

"Browsable" nonfiction is one of my favorite types of children's nonfiction, and this book looks absolutely gorgeous! Not only that, but it is very browsable, well-written at a kid level, covers a great deal of information, and is presented in a fairly inclusive and comprehensive way. (For example, it seriously represents ancient methods of timekeeping and gives credit to how great those systems were.)

Each topic gets its own two-page spread, and the range is wide! From the actual concept of time, from clocks to the calendar year to history, we also get into GPS systems, daylight savings time, culture over time, historical calendar and clock systems, internal body clocks, world records... it goes on and on! This book literally feels like a treasure trove. It feels carefully polished and edited.

I found the writing to be very clear and informative. It does not condescend to the reader, but instead is very inviting and welcoming. The illustrations are charming and compliment the text very well. Each page has an excellent balance of illustrations, small text boxes, and informative text paragraphs. I had so much fun browsing each spread and I learned many new things I had not known before!

I can easily see myself recommending this to many young readers. Not only is it a well done title, but this is a topic that is very fascinating for kids, and something I have fielded questions about before.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and do not represent my employer.

This is a book that readers will return to again and again. The Book of Time by Clive Gifford is packed full of fascinating facts about the vast topic of time.

The text is clear, informative and engaging without talking down to the reader. The illustrations by Teo Georgiev, really compliment the text, helping the reader navigate the content. Excellent non-fiction with a unique topic and approach!

The Book of Time, written by Clive Gifford and illustrated by Ted Georgiev, is an excellent children non-fiction book about, well, time. And here I’m going to use the broadest definition of “children”, as the book is a highly recommended for later primary school age through Middle Grade and into the YA range. And honestly, it works fine as a basic (and fascinating) resource for high schoolers and even adults. When I teach the first-year research class in college, I always tell my students their starting point should be a good MG/YA non-fiction book on their topic as that will give them the easy-to-understand, broadly shallow, and brief foundation of understanding that will help them make better choices when they look for more sophisticated sources and will help them better comprehend those sources. The Book of Time is exactly the kind of work I have in mind when I tell them that.

The text covers roughly 40 topic, with each getting one or two pages of text. The topics include time on a cosmic scale (from the Big Bang to modern humans’ appearance), why Earth has seasons, solstices and equinoxes, early ways to measure time, calendars in various cultures and time periods, the invention of mechanical clocks, time zones, geologic time, body clocks, lifespans of various organisms and materials, time savers and wasters, and how we perceive time differently based on situational context.

The text is always crystal clear and informative, doesn’t talk down to the reader, makes good connections, and is always informative and often fascinating. The illustrations are just as clear as the text and, as good illustrations do, enhance the text rather than distract from it, using a colorful palette throughout and clearly distinguishing different illustration (i.e. it isn’t cluttered nor do things blur one into another).

Clear, concise, informative, visuals meshing well with the text — as noted, just an all-around excellent non-fiction work and one that is easy to highly recommend

This book takes on so much cool information about time! It is such a vast subject with so many interconnected ways to look at it. I think it can be hard for children to grasp the concept of time and this book does a great job of putting it in perspective. This is one of those books that you pick up again and again. That you read a page one day and three the next. That you reference back to when discussing the concept of time!

The illustrations are also great and they add so much to this book! They will keep your children engaged while learning!

This book is a perspective shift in the best way and it wasn't just the kids learning, I learned a ton too!