Clocks and More Clocks

by Pat Hutchins

Because the clocks in various parts of his house all read slightly different times, Mr. Higgins keeps on buying clocks from the Clockmaker in order to find one that tells the right time. By the author of Changes, Changes.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Childrens, 1st Grade, School, Fiction, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1970

About the author

Pat Hutchins is an English illustrator and writer of children's books.

She won the 1974 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject. The work was The Wind Blew, a picture book in rhyme which she also wrote. It shows how "a crowd of people anxiously chase their belongings" in the wind.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Pat Hutchins and children love her too. Any child that is just beginning to understand clocks, and time, will get great pleasure from this book. It is funny and warm. Recommended.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was talking about this today with a friend and I had to track it down. I'll never forgive Scholastic Books for showing a ballerina book in their catalogue even though it was out of stock and I'll never forgive them for sending me this book (a product of equal or lesser value!) in its place. I'll also never forgive my teacher for shrugging her shoulders and telling me it was this book or no book at all. Who cares about clocks this much? I asked myself. It's a question I still don't have a firm answer to.

This children's book has haunted my memories since 1994, has doubtlessly taken years off of my life, and will only ever pale in comparison to the glory of the ballerina book I wanted and purchased but was kept apart from!!! I don't even remember the title of that book or even very much at all, except for being about a ballerina who gets her first tutu, but I'll never forget that I wanted it with the fiery passion of ten thousand suns and was kept away because of this book!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

There should be a choice that isn't just "read" but "read and read and read and read and read." Yeah, Paul likes this one. It was a library reject that his grandpa brought him because Paul likes clocks so much. The illustration are quirky -- I keep meaning to look up the author to see if s/he is American. I'm kind of guessing not because there's an old world quality to the design of the houses, the long coats, pocket watch -- even the language. One of the clocks looks "splendid." Paul especially likes Mr. Higgen's morning coat. He points to it and says "Tail!"

[Todd LaMontagne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: Clocks and More Clocks by Pat Hutchins is a picture book about a man who discovers a clock in his attic. His uncertainty as to whether the clock is reporting the time accurately leads him to buy another clock. When he notices a discrepancy of one minute between his newly purchased clock and the one he discovered in the attic, he decides to buy another. This process occurs a few more times, and he eventually purchases enough clocks to outfit his entire house. It is not until he consults a clock maker, who is willing to make a home visit, that he is assured that all of his clocks are accurate. He is intrigued with the pocket watch used by the clock maker, so of course he purchases one for himself.
Theme/Curriculum Connections: Clocks, cooperation, problem solving.
Grade/Age Recommendation: Early elementary

[Misbah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a funny little man, Mr. Higgins, who keeps buying clocks because he isn't sure which one has the correct time. Every time he buys a new one to check if the time is the same, time passes and he ends up thinking that they are all either ahead or behind each other. When a clock expert comes to look into the issue and assures Higgins that all the clocks have the correct time, he notices that the expert carries a pocket watch. Mr. Higgins buys one for himself and uses it to check if the clocks are accurate and from then on they are always on time.

This story made me smile. So simple yet so cute.

The illustration brought me back to a story I used to read as a kid about a man with a green thumb.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man finds a clock in the attic and wonders if the time is right on it. He has no idea, so he goes to buy a clock to be able to tell. One clock says a time. When he goes down the stairs to check the other clock, the times are different! He ends up buying to more clocks before talking to the clockmaker about the differing times on the clocks. The clockmaker goes home with him to check the clocks. He pulls out a pocket watch and shows the man that each clock is correct. It was the going up and down stairs to check each one that made the times different. The man bought a pocket watch and ever since, each clock has been correct.

Good for preschool or older kid storytimes.

[Lane Gilchrist · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be perfect for a small child. It may even come across as funny to them, but to me, it just was not that good. It was a very quick read though and the idea behind it was not bad for children's lit. The illustrations in the book were excellent. I really enjoyed those, and the words were very appropriate for the grade level.

I would have this book in my class so students could have a quick read if they wanted to. I would honestly read this book to my class and see if my students could catch on to why the clocks always read a different time.

[Kate Matheis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute. I would like to see if students can guess why all his clocks say different times before he figures it out for himself. I love the detail in the illustrations, but the color scheme isn't my favorite.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man buys more and more clocks in order to determine if the clocks in his home show the correct time.

The illustrations have a 1970s vibe with a 1970s color palette.

My Generation Alpha children couldn't understand why Mr. Higgins didn't use his cell phone to check the clocks' accuracy. Times certainly change.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When is the time the correct time? The Clockmaker knows - right Jack?

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, clever, liked by the students. Great choice while teaching telling time.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder. At what age will most children be able to see the flaw in Mr. Higgins' reasoning? Obvious to me, of course... but I still found the book funny! And not just for the old fashions!

[Evelyn Song · Rating 3 out of 5]

乘除法初识

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
lots of kids these days wont understand because they are used to digital clocks - but it is fun to think about

[Cecile · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story makes no sense and would only confuse a child who is learning about analog time-telling.

[Mh Weyler]

I think I enjoyed this book because of the old-fashioned illustrations and the opportunity to reinforce some basic math/time-telling skills for my son.

[SBC · Rating 2 out of 5]

A silly story about a man who buys a clock (then more clocks) and can't be sure if they're on time. Published in 1970 and the illustrations felt very 70s.

[Kathleen Srisam-Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

good for Time unit in math

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

So silly and clever.

[WinnieTheSioux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a silly, engaging introduction to the fact that time keeps moving even if we aren't watching the clock. My first-graders were excited to tell the man in the book WHY he kept thinking his clocks were wrong when really they were correct!

Caveat: this book tells time to the minute "4 minutes after 7, 5 minutes past 8, etc" so make sure they have a working knowledge of how clocks read first!

[Katherine Fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second grade teacher actually read this book to my class when I was in school and I thought it was so silly and fun. Now being the teacher myself, I was able to share this story with a classroom I am student teaching in. I read through the book and asked the students why the clocks were "wrong" and they all said it was because the man takes time to go up and down the stairs. I re-read the book with each child in the small group using an interactive clock. One student said that he could see how the man in the story got confused because he didn't understand that the clocks move even when you are not looking. This story is great to share with students for them to understand time and it worked out great when I used the manipulative clocks in a small group. I will definitely include this in my classroom library!

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Higgins found a clock in his attic. To make sure that the clock was correct, he bought a clock for his bedroom. But he could never be sure which clock was correct. The one in the attic would say 3:00, but when he checked the one in the bedroom, it said one minute past three. Mr. Higgins buys several more clocks for his house before consulting with a clockmaker to solve his problem. A great book to use in a lesson on clocks, watches, and time - although I didn't really care for the illustrations.

[Maleigha · Rating 4 out of 5]

For one, this book is great because it is a funny story that gets the students thinking. When they are presented with Mr. Higgin's problem students start to second guess their own beliefs about clocks and time. They then have to identify the problem and solve it, which would be the act of calculating and telling time. This could be great for a read-aloud in a 1st or 2nd grade classroom before starting a lesson on time.

[Christina Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clocks and more clocks will be a good way to help students grasp the concept of time. By reading this book students will see how time changes as Mr. Higgins goes from one room to the next. They will see how time goes up and will gain a sense of how to associate clocks with the changing time. I think this book is very informative and will have students thinking about how to measure time.

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quirky, obscure book. A man can't decide which of his clocks are showing the correct time so he buys more clocks. Eventually he gets the clockmaker to come check the clocks and the reader realizes the clocks are all right, it just takes him a minute to walk to the next one. It was funny with clunky illustrations in muted colors.

[Carlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clocks and more clocks will be a good way to help students grasp the concept of time. By reading this book students will see how time changes as Mr. Higgins goes from one room to the next. They will see how time goes up and will gain a sense of how to associate clocks with the changing time. I think this book is very informative and will have students thinking about how to measure time.

[Jennie Park]

I would use this book to incorporate my lesson in teaching how to tell time. Many students have a hard time understanding this concept when learning it on only worksheets and books. This way, they have a story that they can make connections with and a better understanding of how to tell time.

[Laura Carby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Higgins has a clock in every room of his house! We use this book to introduce us to time. Each student will then get an individual clock and have to move the hands to make the times in the book!

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clocks and more clocks is a great way to help students understand the concept of time. When reading this book your students will see how time changes. It is a great way to introduce time! This is appropriate for first grade and second grade.

[Kristen Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book on telling time and measuring minutes.