SOMETHING’S HAPPENING IN THE CITY, by Paula Merlán, Concha Pasamar, Cuento de Luz; 1st edition, March 15, 2022, Hardcover, $18.95 (ages 3-8)
A girl notices something strange going on while walking her dog in Something’s Happening in the City, by Paula Merlan and Concha Passamar.
Hannah loves taking her dog, Pippin, for a walk and ambling around the city. Everything is so beautiful in spring! Insects buzz busily through the air, and the sun shines brightly. However, Hannah notices that something is not right; something is going on in the city. Why is her neighbor Carol so distracted and greets her without even looking into her eyes? And those children sitting on that park bench, why don’t they talk to each other or play…? Pippin and Hannah, curious, continue walking through the city trying to solve the mystery. They all seem to have something on their hands that takes them away from reality!
Determined to show others what they are missing ―a very blue sky, the flowers hanging from the trees…―, Hannah carries out a plan. Will she be able to wake them up? —Synopsis provided by Cuento de Luz
From the start of Something’s Happening in the City readers get a sense that things are off. Cues in both text and illustrations hint at people’s distractions, but don’t immediately give it away. When Hannah does discover the devices in people’s hands everything becomes clear. To be honest, it’s a little anticlimactic, but kids will immediately relate to Hannah and her predicament.
Something’s Happening in the City is a celebration of the world around us. It encourages readers to be present in moment and place. It’s a gentle read with sweet illustrations that will force some adults to rethink their habits and help kids to know there’s more to life than technology.
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