Catching Time By Rachna Gilmore

• 04/03/2014
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Catching Time
Rachna Gilmore
Fitzhenry & Whiteside (2010)
ISBN 9781554551620
Reviewed by Madison Schlarman (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (11/10)

It is Saturday and Sara wants to go to the park. Mom and Dad both have chores and responsibilities that are keeping them from catching time to go to the park! Sara, who is convinced she can catch time if she just tries hard enough, searches and attempts to catch her time through many different methods! When time keeps slipping away from her grasp Sara makes a sudden decision that stops time, allowing her to catch it and enjoy the fun times awaiting her at the park. “Catching Time” is a cute story about a little girl who is certain to make sure she gets her time at the park!

Madison’s Thoughts/Summary:

“The little girl wanted to play at the park. Her mom and dad said she could go if we catch some time. She tries to catch time! She is not fast enough. She catches it by yelling ‘stop! You’re doing it all wrong!’ She puts it in a jar. Her parents say, ‘It is all up to you, it’s your time.’ They go to the park and play!

I liked the book and the pictures. I would want to read it a couple days but not every day.”

Mom’s thoughts:

“Catching Time” is whimsical in design. It is a cute story about a young girl who wants to play at the park. Her parents have chores and responsibilities that need to be taken care of, so she is forced to wait. Like most children, waiting does not come easy for Sara. She attempts to “catch” time so that she can play with her friends at the park.

I wasn’t sure if Madison would understand this story as the phrase “catch time” is not used often in our culture. She seems to have understood it well enough but it was not a book that held her attention or had her asking questions. While it was cute it was also a tad boring for me. I liked the way she tried to use her imagination and catch time throughout her parent’s activities but the book felt pointless. I would rather have read a book about a child who helped her parents get things done so that they would have time to go play at the park. I find myself split with this book. I liked the imagination and the uniqueness the book brings, yet at the same time I felt bored, unattached and indifferent towards the story. It was good but it wasn’t great. I’m still looking for that spark that would make me purchase this book over all of the other books available for children.