Just a Second

Just a Second examines what occurs in a single second across different scales and contexts in nature and human activity. The book tracks events that happen in this tiny slice of time, from a hummingbird's wings beating to a beam of light traveling thousands of miles. The text progresses through increasingly longer time intervals - one minute, one hour, one day, one week, and beyond. Each segment presents facts about natural phenomena, animal behaviors, and human actions that occur within these timeframes. Jenkins uses paper collage illustrations to visualize these temporal concepts and help readers grasp the relative scale of time. The information builds upon itself to demonstrate how brief or vast different lengths of time can be. This exploration of time provides perspective on how speed and duration shape our world and our place within it. The book invites reflection on the relationship between time and the patterns of life on Earth.

Readers appreciate the book's creative way of explaining time intervals through specific examples, like a hummingbird's 80 wing beats per second or the 100-year lifespan of a giant tortoise. Parents and teachers report that children grasp abstract time concepts more easily through these concrete comparisons. Several reviews mention the detailed scientific illustrations and clear infographics as key strengths. A teacher on Amazon notes the book works well for elementary science lessons and math integration. Some readers found the information density overwhelming for younger children, suggesting it works better for ages 8+ rather than the publisher's 6+ recommendation. A few mentioned wanting more detail on the scientific facts presented. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (493 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (70 ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.8/5 (13 ratings) Common descriptors in reviews: "engaging," "informative," "detailed illustrations," "great teaching tool"

A Second Is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins Time measurements connect to relatable childhood experiences and daily activities through clear comparisons.

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell The childhood observations and scientific documentation of Jane Goodall reveal how time spent watching nature leads to discovery.

All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant, Nikki McClure The passage of time unfolds through scenes of nature and human activity during twenty-four hours on Earth.

On the Same Day in March by Marilyn Singer Different locations around the world show what occurs at the same moment in time across the globe.

The Way the World Works by David Macaulay Detailed illustrations break down complex processes and systems into step-by-step sequences that explain time and motion.

🕒 In less than a second, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird beats its wings 50 times—one of many time-based measurements explored in the book's pages. 🌟 Author Steve Jenkins has illustrated more than 30 children's science books using his distinctive paper collage technique, which involves hand-torn, textured papers. ⏱️ The book reveals that every second, four babies are born worldwide, while two people die, offering young readers perspective on global population changes. 🎨 Jenkins' meticulous collage illustrations in this book required thousands of tiny pieces of paper, carefully selected for their colors and textures. 🌍 The Earth travels 18.5 miles through space in just one second—a fact highlighted in the book to demonstrate the planet's constant motion around the sun.