“Hurry up! Hurry down! Hurry round and round and round.” This picture book begins with a frenzy as a child hurries out of bed, hurries down the stairs, and hurries out the door to catch the bus. And once at school, the hurrying continues until at home at the end of the day, the dog yells “STOP.” The rest of the book is an invitation to “slow things down” as the child and the dog try breathing and blowing, exploring and wishing. And when the day is finally done there is “no more fast but sloooooow instead.”
Hurry Up! was published posthumously. Author Kate Dopirak, who died in 2018, dedicated the book to her two sons. Christopher Neal’s illustrations are simple yet bold, matching the pace of the text in detail and color.
Hurry Up! is perfect for this time when we need reminders to go outdoors, to be attentive, to be patient. It asks “What is your hurry?” so that you can discover, “What is your slow?” Recommended for ages 3-8. (Bench Lane Books)
About the Author
Jenny deGroot is a freelance media review and news writer for The Banner. She lives on Swallowfield Farm near Fort Langley B.C. with her husband, Dennis. Before retirement she worked as a teacher librarian and assistant principal.