With current events coming up in a few days this April 2024, I thought it would be fun to read a book called A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse by Kate Allen Fox and illustrations by Khoa Le. The story itself is nice, but it is the illustrations that grabbed me. A lot of the time I am not a huge fan of “too cartoony” when it comes to a story that might be more serious. Yet, they mix a realistic approach with a bit of illustration and make something that meshes well. The story about people of a community coming together to watch the solar eclipse, allows for a more non-traditional and traditional mixture.
I cannot not say a lot about the book other than it is poetic, sweet, fun, and clever. It is an enjoyable read and experience. I liked the colors and the details of the illustrations and felt both text and art complimented each other well. This is not my OMG FAVORITE book, but I like it and know it is a good recommendation. It mixes facts and story to make a nice, cozy read. The story is an experience, and you find what you want and take what you need from it.
Overall, this is not a completely factual story, but the idea is to introduce things to that younger crowd, while also making it fun for the adult reader. The younger end (picture book crowd aged five and up can take a little at a time, the seven/eight and up can read themselves). It is a picture book that was read on line, but is available.