Just a Second

The flap of a vulture’s wing.

The weight of a baby blue whale.

These increments of time may sound a bit strange, but they are all fascinating ways in which we can think about time.

In Just a Second, the award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins brings forth unique ways to think about time beyond the hands we see every day on a ticking clock.

This non-fiction picture book explores time and how we think about it in a different way—as a series of events in the natural world (some of them directly observable, others not) that take place in a given unit of time. Steve Jenkins' extraordinary illustrations will accompany this engaging look at time.

What amazing science concepts will you and your child discover together?

• Learning About Time: See time in a whole new way, measured not by a clock, but by a vulture’s wingbeat or a crocodile’s heart.
• Amazing Animal Facts: Find out how many times a hummingbird beats its wings in a second and how long a mayfly’s entire life lasts.
• Accessible Science Concepts: Explore big ideas about measurement, the natural world, and how we make sense of our universe, all presented in a way young readers can understand.
• Stunning Collage Art: From Caldecott Honor-winner Steve Jenkins, discover his signature torn-paper collage style that makes every animal and concept leap off the page.