The World In A Second

by Isabel Minhós Martins, Bernardo P. Carvalho (Illustrator), Lyn Miller-Lachmann (Translator)

Inspired by the question, "What are they doing right at this moment on the other side of the world?" this book focuses on natural and human events happening all over the world in the same second. Talking about the world and how it's so different in places but also so similar and shared, so incredible and surprising, the books takes us to New York, Chicago, Mexico, Portugal, Angola, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Hungry, Brazil, and South Africa, among others.

So, while you sit turning the pages of this book, things are happening everywhere. Somewhere, a wave is reaching the shore. Elsewhere, an orange falls from a tree. In yet other places, there's a traffic jam, a stuck elevator, and someone's going to sleep. Inevitably, a book is coming to an end as another is beginning. Time is always in a hurry, never, ever stopping, and yet as you focus on these lovely illustrations, which stand as true evocations of place, time begins to slow down and, for moments, it even feels as if time has stopped, and you are transported – out of the flow of time and into the wholeness and purity of a moment. A moment of bird flight; a moment of daydreaming while washing the dishes; a moment of wondering how something felt and what came next.

Isabel Minhós Martins is a Portuguese author and publisher whose words are found in works of poetry, children's books, magazines, comic books, and scripts for animations. She is also the publisher of Planeta Tangerina, a Portuguese publishing company. Several of her books have already been published by the Tate.

Bernardo Carvalho is an illustrator and graphic designer from Lisbon whose work has been honored with multiple awards.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Geography, The World, Cultural, Fiction, Comics

56 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

É formada em Design de Comunicação pela Faculdade de Belas Artes (1997).
Fundou, juntamente com 3 amigos, a editora Planeta Tangerina.
Ganhou uma Menção Honrosa no I Prémio Internacional Compostela de Álbuns Ilustrados (“Ovelhinha, Dá-me Lã”, Kalandraka, ilustrações de Yara Kono).
Em 2010, foi nomeada para os Prémios de Autor da SPA/RTP na categoria Literatura Infanto-Juvenil com “O Livro dos Quintais” (Planeta Tangerina, ilustrações de Bernardo Carvalho).
“O Mundo Num Segundo” (na edição espanhola da Intermon Oxfam) é distinguido pelo Banco del Libro como “Melhor Livro Infantil 2010”.
Tem livros publicados em Espanha, França, Inglaterra, Itália, Brasil, Noruega, Coreia.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking the idea of the second as a starting point, Portuguese author Isabel Minhós Martins highlights twenty-three different occurrences that all happen at the same instant, all around the world. From an elevator getting stuck between two floors in New York City to a boat unexpectedly caught in a storm in the Baltic Sea, from a package arriving at its destination in Karabuk, Turkey to a man resting on a bench in Tokyo, there are millions of things happening at any given moment.

Originally published in Portugal as O mundo num segundo, this entertaining and educational picture-book offers a snapshot of the world as it unfolds in one single second. Referencing concepts such as time, and geographic distance and diversity, The World In a Second is the sort of book that curious children will enjoy poring over, and that will lead them to think about the disparate but interconnected nature of the world and its many residents. The bold, graphic artwork by Bernardo P. Carvalho makes the perusing of this book a distinct aesthetic pleasure, while the afterword, in which the location and exact local time of each scene in the book is listed, fills in specific additional information. Recommended to anyone looking for children's books that address the idea of multiple events unfolding at one time, worldwide, or who just want a picture-book that celebrates our diverse world.

[carpe librorum :)]

Algures no mundo, neste preciso momento, uma pessoa lê o que estou para aqui a escrever. Num segundo, o mesmo segundo na vida de algumas pessoas espalhadas pelo planeta, é o que nos mostra este pequeno livro, uma pequena viagem no tempo e no espaço. Gostei particularmente da última ilustração da rapariga a ler o livro na mesma página que supostamente está a acontecer naquele segundo...

[David Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes all you need, is an illustrated book with wonderful pictures and some smooth jazz playing in the background

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book explores time and the way that things happen all at once across the world. Small moments are captured from various countries: an elevator stuck in New York City, a horn honks in traffic in Mexico, a volcano erupts, a boy learns to balance on his bike. One after another these snapshots of time are happening all at once and yet also form a lovely series of events that are all entirely human and show how interrelated our world actually is.

The concept is at once immensely simple and also incredibly complex, the understanding that your own life is just one of many being lived at the very same time. Martins embraces that duality in the book, capturing those universal moments but also showing the diversity around the world. A guide at the end of the book includes a map of where the various events take place all at the same time. There is a distinct wonder to the book, a feeling that the world is both larger and smaller than it had seemed to be a second before.

Carvalho’s illustrations are bold and graphic. He uses thick black lines to create scenes that are active and beautiful. One page contrasts with the next, showing diverse people and settings. The result is a feeling of moving clearly from one place to the next with each turn of the page, from lush jungles to concrete settings, from bright sunlight to clouded evening.

Perfect to start discussions about time and place and even time zones, this picture book allows children to think in a bigger way about their world, diversity and their own place. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

[Jim Erekson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice example of complementary text, this book has a deep story in each illustration with a simple narrative in the words. The narrative in the words is suggestive and minimalist, whereas the narrative in pictures suggests each moment is more complicated than the words or one single action could express. The pictures, while cartoonish, are really fun to look at for a long time.

The map at the end is what shifts the book into informational mode, and this is an excellent example of a cross-genre book. It is a concept book, about one aspect of time, and informational in showing complex illustrations of everyday scenes from around the world.

In its genre-breaking and its global reach, it reminded me a lot of People by Blexbolex

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pages are filled with the details of a second experienced all over the world. There is a horn honking in Mexico City and a a volcano erupting on the other side of the world, a ball flies through a window and a breeze finally flutter on the high seas. Illustrations fill the pages with action and the few words seem given in a second as I turn the pages. What a delightful book to imagine all these events. The authors share a world map at the back of the time and place for each event. I can imagine doing this in one's school, classroom, or community. What a delightful art and writing project it would be.

[Kat Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed by life, I let my thoughts drift to what might be going on in California. Or Kenya. Or Sweden. Or Bogota. So for the curious daydreamers out there, "The World in a Second" is for you. Originally penned in Portuguese, this large format comic-like picture book takes the reader in a trip around the world (sometimes alluding to its destinations, other times putting you in the middle of it). It's a great introduction to time zones and/or perfect when you need a break from YOUR part of the world.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exploration of time and the way things happen all at once across the world depicted in small moments captured from various countries. The illustrations make wonderful use of perspective and effectively influence the reader's perception of the scene. See also Just a Second by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin, 2011). An import from Portugal.

[Taylor Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copyright: 2015
Number of pages: 56
Book format: print
Reading level: 4 & up ; GR level N/A
Genre: fiction
Lit requirement: concept book

The World in a Second by Isabella Minhos Martins and Bernardo P. Carvalho examines what can happen around the world in one second. A women could be falling asleep in her bed in the states, a man can sit on a bench in Japan, or an elevator gets stuck in New York City.

I rated this book five stars because it is an easy read, and it also can introduce readers to different people and different places around the world. They get to see sort of what life looks like there as well from the illustrations that cover double-spreads.

[Raina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes a snapshot of what could be happening in 23 different places around the world at the same point in time. Great for introducing to kids how expansive the world is, complete with a world map in the back. (Though it would be nice if the locations of each snapshot was also on the page itself, not just on the map in the back!)

[Carol Gordon Ekster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept book. It would have been fabulous if everything were somehow connected. Each page shared felt arbitrary. My favorite was that at the end it came back to ..."And a book reaches the end."

[Tatiana Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

muito interessante para abrir conversa sobre a passagem do tempo, sobre o facto de não estarmos sozinhos no mundo e estarem a acontecer coisas boas e más neste exato momento. bom para abrir discussão com os jovens sobre a sua perceção do mundo

[Anne with Violets · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book with a plot similar to . I couldn't help but compare the two picture books. It's bigger and more tightly plotted, but it's less poignant than . Both are great picture books, though.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

#time #connection
One of the better books of consecutive time. Very good illustrations and a better format thank books like "at the same time around the world"

[Seema Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows the things that happen around the world almost concurrently and helps explore the concept of time zones.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing idea that could lead to some interesting discussions about the concept of time and how our time is spent.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful & thoughtful

[Lightwhisper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talvez eu tenha achado que havia tanta escrita e ilustração que faltou, mas admiro esta iniciativa para um livro infantil que talvez se fique pelo infantil...

[Uva Costriuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

bela coleção de páginas duplas de momentos congelados quase em slow motion.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such fascinating art.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Large, colorful illustrations that sprawl across two pages each and simple but meditative text take readers all around the globe to 23 different places through 23 one-second pauses. Beginning in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and ending in Florianopolis, Brazil, readers have the chance to see what is happening at the exact same point in time. There are moments of anxiety as an elevator is stuck between floors, annoyance as a driver waits impatiently for traffic to move, loneliness as an elderly woman falls asleep in her bed, loss as a woman loses something without realizing that it is gone, and closure as a reader comes to the final pages of a book. I really enjoyed the way some of life's stories and important (and less important) moments are depicted in each of these pages. The last two pages which show a woman flipping through the pages of this very book will make readers think. Since there is a map that follows the story, readers can figure out exactly where each scene takes place if they cannot figure that out from the clues in the illustrations. Originally published in Portugal, the book really makes readers think about all the different things that can happen in a second, some of them life-changing and others fairly commonplace.

[Aiyu_Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book shows how people live differently at the same time throughout the world as the Earth continues to spin around. From New York City to Angola, each page in the book shows a new setting accordingly with various people performing their roles. It can draw small kids' awareness of time and their understanding of places through colorful depictions of diverse environments.

However, compared to successful picture books on similar subject matters (like Glass Slippers, Gold Sandals), this book is not rich in content and is not accessible to low-level readers. When the place changes in the book, the author doesn't mention directly by words but convey it implicitly by illustrations. Also, the illustrations don't show the differences between places and are a bit incorrect. For example, the Japanese characters on the page of Japan are wrong, and Tokyo is spelled as "Tokio" on the street. Another problem is that the book isn't focusing on cultures around the world because it shows different scenarios around the world without stressing anything except time. Even though people in this book are illustrated as colored who have various activities, the book is cultural-neutral.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 3-6. A wordless picture book depicting what happens in one second around the world. Sparse text gives a brief description of each full-page spread. Bold illustrations capture events from haircuts to demolitions, eruptions and fruit falling. Some locations are mentioned and others are left for the reader to guess. The final page of the book has a world map and lists the season, time and location for each illustration--explaining how snow, a beach scene, night and day can all happen at the same second on earth.

Geography lesson for hemispheres, time zones, etc. What happens in one second in your school? Family? State? Country?

[Jennifer Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

On each page of this book things are portrayed that happen at the very same second around the world. Some of them include: a boy balancing on a bike for the first time, an old lady closing her eyes to sleep, a volcano erupting, a watch stopping, and someone honks their horn in traffic.

Great illustrations and short sentences on each page. This books makes the reader stop and think not just about what they are doing, but all the possible things that others are doing all over the world. It makes the distance between the reader and people countries away minuscule. It's fun to imagine what someone else, thousands of miles away, is doing right this second!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO COOL. This is a really nifty people-are-the-same-everywhere / window-on-the-world book with terrific art that extends, deepens, and bends the story. A boy rides a bike for the first time - we don't see his face or that of his mom, but we see the expressions of the kids who are looking on. What are they saying to him? An old lady falls asleep surrounded by picture frames. Who's in the pictures? The color palette and line convey a sun-soaked tropical vitality that feels especially relevant to the snapshot quick cuts of the book.

[Anna Fillmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book travels around the world, page by page, and gives us glimpses of everyday life lived in all kinds of ways. Bold illustrations with startling angles place the viewer right in the middle of what it happening. The vignettes are sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic and always have a curiously strong sense of place. Although all human inhabited continents are covered, it is still euro-centric, with more pages dedicated to European locations than Africa and Asia combined. But Chicago made the cut, yahoo!

[Evan Childress · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ever wondered what someone across the world is doing at the same moment as you, then this is the book you want to read. Interesting and realistic depictions of everyday activities that are all occurring simultaneously across the world, though at different times. There is a great map at the end of the book which shows which country each page occurs and in and what time it was in that place. Conceptually, this would be a great book to use for a geography unit or even a unit about time with older students.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a work of art, this book gets 4 stars, but I'm not sure who the audience is. The concept would go over younger kids' heads and older kids would think it's too babyish because it's a picture book. That said, aside from the text, the full page bleed illustrations are lovely and there's a lot to look at in each one. Exploring the illustrations would also be a good interactive parent-child activity.

[Lu Benke · Rating 5 out of 5]

You're right, Jim, I really love this book! I'd love to use it in a class and talk about the layers, the narrator's voice, the perspectives, the rhythms, choices for each setting. Each page invites me in to guess what's going on in that instant in that setting with color, humor, and more stories outside the borders. So many things I wonder about and want to explore, not the least of which is why would the cover illustration obliterate the author's name?

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit like The Mysteries of Harris Burdick but less mystery and in various settings throughout the world. And I love the illustrations. Asks the unanswered question of how we gauge time and our place in the world. Map at the back lists city/country and time. Would be a good starting point for an upper elementary or middle school English class creative writing assignment.

Ages: older elementary, middle school