The Extraordinary Pause by Sara Sadik and illustrated by Karine Jaber, Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

A month or so ago, Eifrig Publishing reached out asking if I’d be willing to review The Extraordinary Pause, written by Sara Sadik and illustrated by Karine Jaber. A book about the Coronavirus pandemic documenting the pause we all took in 2020/2021 piqued my interest as an educator, author, and parent, and I hope it will be a new discovery for some of you too.

Title: The Extraordinary Pause

Written by: Sara Sadik

Illustrated by: Karine Jaber

Published by: Eifrig Publishing

Suitable for ages: 3 – 10 years

Themes/Topics: Coronavirus, relationships, family, social distancing

Opening: “Not long ago in a land we all know, things were moving fast.”

Book Synopsis taken from Amazon:

The Extraordinary Pause is a keepsake testament of the pandemic of 2020-2021, a tribute to the simple and remarkable efforts people made in the face of the unexpected and unknown, and a tool to discuss how it is affecting kids as they start heading back to school.

This book is a wonderful tool for reflecting on the physical, mental, and emotional impact of this extraordinary event. The text is complimented with thoughtful and poignant illustrations with a minimal color palette and plenty to explore for the young audiences, as well as a few talking points to help kids reflect and remember this experience.

This book will have a place in a child’s permanent collection of childhood favorites. It will be a place to return to as we reflect with our kids on the challenging period we experienced during the extraordinary pause and help us all to grapple with the social, physical, and mental parts of the journey.

Why I like this Book:

I loved Sadik’s minimal text. Written through the eyes of a little girl, The Extraordinary Pause takes the reader through the many life changes she witnesses over the last year… empty playgrounds, no in-person school, and postponed birthday parties. I particularly liked that there is no mention of illness or death, just a virus arrived that “visited every corner… of every country, even though it wasn’t invited.” Sadik mentions things so many of us missed like hugs, kisses, and high fives. I like how the book compares changes in outside life and contrasts this by inside life “home became the center of it all. Mommies taught math, Daddies taught reading.” I felt quite emotional as hope and optimism returned to the world and the little girl has a big hug with her Grandfather again. The artwork by Jaber is powerful in its simplicity, and complements this story so well.

Resources:

Take a look at these wonderful bonus resources supplied by the publisher https://www.eifrigpublishing.com/pages/bonus-resources-for-the-extraordinary-pause

Thanks for stopping by everyone, and have a lovely Friday.