Stop the Clock

Stop the Clock is a picture book for children aged 4 to 9 about Joe, a boy who is always being hurried, and what he finds when he makes time stand still.

Joe's mornings are a rush. Mum hunts for socks and keys, straps in little Poppy and hurries everyone out of the door, and they reach school just in time. There, his teacher, Mr Khan, asks the class to paint what they saw on their way to school, but he hurries them too. Joe paints a blue sky, grey buildings, a red bus and yellow flowers, and before he can add Poppy it is time to stop. So Joe shouts, "Stop the clock!"

Time stands still for everyone except Joe. He draws Poppy, then goes back out to look properly. The sky is not just blue, a whole tiny world lives among the plants, and the buildings and the people are full of interesting clues. He even finds Poppy's lost teddy.

The book invites children to slow down and notice the world around them, and shows how noticing can lead to kindness: at home time, Joe makes two people happy, and their smiles make him happy too.

Written by Pippa Goodhart, illustrated by Maria Christania and published by Tiny Owl, it takes about three minutes to read aloud and is music-free.

A rushed morning

"Hurry up, Joe! Look at the time!" said Mum. "Where's your other sock?"

"I don't know," said Joe.

"Then find another pair and put on your shoes. Is your book in your bag? Take a piece of toast to eat on the way. Where are my keys? Poppy, let me strap you in. I must put out the bin. What's the time now? Come on, do be quick!"

Whoosh! Slam! Mum, Joe and Poppy were out of the house, hurrying, worrying and scurrying along the road. Poppy wailed. "Run, Joe, you're being too slow," said Mum. "We're going to be late!"

They got to school just in time. "In you go," said Mum. "Have a lovely day."

A picture of the way to school

"Sit down, everyone, as quick as you can," said Mr Khan. "Look at the time! We haven't got long to get everything done before break. Put on your aprons, sit in your places and pick a piece of paper. Now paint a picture of what you saw on your way to school."

Swish went the blue sky that Joe painted. Down went the grey buildings. Splurge went a red bus, and round and round went its black wheels. Dot, dot went the yellow flowers. Joe was about to paint Poppy when Mr Khan said it was time to stop.

"We mustn't be late. Wash your hands, hang up your aprons and put your pictures over there. Hurry up, Joe, you're being too slow! Look at the clock!"

Tick, tick, tock. But Joe wanted Poppy in his picture.

Joe stops time

"Stop the clock!" shouted Joe.

The clock stopped. Time, and everything else, stood still, except for Joe. He took a big, slow breath and drew Poppy. Was she crying?

Then Joe got down from his chair and went to look at things. He saw much more than he had seen before. The sky was not just bright blue: it was grey and white and light blue too, and there were birds in it. Plants and tiny creatures made a miniature world. The buildings were different too: if you looked at the clues, you could tell what sort of people lived in each one. He saw more people, and they were interesting. He noticed other things as well, and then he spotted Poppy's teddy.

Joe went back to school and put his picture on the pile. Then he took a deep breath and said, "Clocks, you can start again now."

Tick, tock, tick. They did.

Everything in the picture

At home time, Joe made two people happy, and their smiles made him happy too.

"But where are you in your picture?" asked Mum.

So Joe added himself, and then everything was in his picture. Everything except the clock.