Some things can be measured while other things aren’t so easy to measure. You can measure the height of a building or the circumference of a lake, but how do you measure the love in a mother’s hug or the warmth of laughter or a sense of wonder?
‘How Big is the Sky’ opens with endpapers depicting a wide range of tools for measuring and how they work. These include a tape measure to measure the distance between two points, a set of scales to measure weight and mass, a watch for time and some uncommon ones such as an anemometer for measuring wind speed. We learn that scientists can measure how fast light travels or how much water is in the sky or the human body.
There are many tools for measuring and things that can be measured but not everything. While you can measure the temperature in a room you can’t measure the warmth of laughter and sharing. You can measure the distance of a race but not the fizzing of your nerves before it starts. How do you measure a sense of adventure or wonder?
The book’s realistic style artwork is full of detail and combines powerfully with the text. The use of a variety of perspectives provides an intriguing and thought-provoking explanation of the many differences that can be found in measurement.
This is a carefully constructed and thoughtful book that is both practical and philosophical. Children are often fascinated by measuring tools but here we go beyond metres and kilograms into the imponderable and open a whole new world of thoughtful wonder and discussion.
Picture Books for Older Readers
