Soyeon Kim

Yu-Rhee, a young Korean girl, wants to know how to tell time using a clock. Her mother tells her a tale from her childhood based on the traditional Korean practice of timekeeping, where the 12 animals of the zodiac are assigned to 2-hour sections of the 24-hour clock. Told from the point of view of a mountain, the story follows a child as they climb the mountainside in search of a plant to heal their ailing mother. The climb is steep, the path wild and the way difficult. The mountain watches the child struggle and calls on the animals that live on the mountainside to help the child, but as sunlight turns to moonlight, each animal claims to be too busy. Ultimately, Once Upon an Hour is a story about determination and teamwork that shows young readers the importance of helping others.

Reviews
“A curious premise with captivating illustrations.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The repetitive text here is soothing in cadence...Pleasing colours, and the winsome expressions on the face of the hopeful child make readers sympathetic to the situation.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Illustrations which are inexplicably special…The timeless and universal message of helping others will resonate with listeners of this story whether young or old. This book needs to be part of an elementary school library as well as pre-school and home libraries. By using animals who are active at different times of the day to teach the concept of time, this folktale is especially memorable as well as useful.” — Must Read Literature

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Theme / Subjects: Animals, Time, Zodiac, Timekeeping, Traditional Korean Practices, Determination, Teamwork, Helping Others, Family, Plant Medicine.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.75" x 10.75" | Hardcover

Sukaq loves to drift off to sleep listening to his mother tell him stories. His favourite story is the tale of how a raven created the world. But this time, as his mother begins to tell the story and his eyelids become heavy, he is suddenly whisked away on the wings of the raven to ride along as the entire world is formed! This traditional legend from Inuit storyteller Roy Goose is brought to life through co-author Kerry McCluskey's jubilant retelling.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.25" x 9.25" | Paperback

This picture book explores how humans are inextricably connected to nature. This book draws examples from the clouds and the cosmos, the seafloor and the surface of our skin, to show how we are never alone: we are always surrounded and supported by nature. Whether it’s gravity holding us tight; our lungs breathing oxygen synthesized by plants; the countless microorganisms that build our immunity; or the whales whose waste fertilizes the plankton that feed the fish we eat: nature touches every aspect of how we live.

Using lyrical text grounded in current science alongside detailed diorama art, this informational picture book presents the idea that we thrive through connections to the land and sea and sky, and togetherness is key to nature. It encourages inquiry-based learning, inviting readers to wonder, ask questions, observe the natural world, and engage with big ideas. An author’s note at the end offers more insight into the research behind the text.

Reviews
"it is all elegantly presented in soaring, vivid language...breathtakingly beautiful." — Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

Educator Information
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts (Skills and Strategies); Science (Life Science, Animals, Environment, Biology, Life Systems)

This book evokes the interconnectedness of nature and is based on scientific research, with cross-curricular links to STEAM, inquiry-based learning, and more.

Reading Level: Grade 5
Fountas & Pinnell: S
Lexile Measure: 820L

Recommended for ages 4+

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.25" x 10.25" | full-colour illustrations, photographed 3D dioramas