The best in children’s literature, selected by Jim Whiting.
Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
Cynthia Jaynes Omololu majored in English at U.C. Santa Barbara because she liked to read, not because she liked to write. In fact, for years all of her journals ended on or about January 21st because writing about her life was, well, boring. After her kids were born, she discovered that she did like to write about the lives of fictional people, and that the voices in her head often have interesting things to say.
Cynthia lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.
When It’s Six O’clock in San Francisco
Clarion, July 20, 2009.
Multicultural/educational
32 pages, ages 4-8+
$16.00.
A lyrical multicultural picture book that introduces the concept of time zones.
As one little boy is eating breakfast in San Francisco, another kid in London is playing football with his mates, a girl in Lahore is eating dinner with her family, and another child in Sydney is calling for a drink of water in the middle of the night. Poetic language and charming vignettes simplify the concept of time zones by providing glimpses into the everyday lives of children around the world.
This book is the perfect gift from grandparents who live far away from their grandchildren who don’t understand why it is a different time where Grandma and Grandpa live. While the vignettes are entertaining, they introduce the concept of a wider world and the author’s note in the back provides a more in-depth understanding of how time works in the world that is particularly helpful for older children.
For more information about Jim, please see www.jimwhiting.com. To inquire about availability of specific titles or to send a comment, write him at jimruns3@gmail.com.
