Reviewed in: TEACHING CHILDREN MATHEMATICS, Vol. 9, No. 9. May 2003

Time to Learn about Time, Dom Massaro and Don Rothman, 2002. 62 pp., $14.95 paper ISBN 09712714‑2‑9. Fuzzy Books, Department of Psychology, University of California‑Santa Cruz , Santa Cruz, CA 95064.

Have you ever wondered about the history of time, how clocks are made, or how time relates to nature? If so, this book is for you. It begins with Cronus, alias Father Time, and explains how ancient people used time. The book uses illustrations to describe the establishment of units of time; for example, illustrations of Earth revolving around the sun accompany a description of a year. The book then explores how time is related to nature by giving specific examples of humans’ and animals’ internal clocks. The authors further develop the theme by discussing sundials and how they connect to the analog clocks in use today. The book also explains how clocks work, using illustrations of the gears that are inside.

Although only part of the book is devoted to teaching time, the book does illustrate a way for teachers to explain time by relating a number line to an analog clock. The book also addresses a new teaching tool called a Kid Klok, which is a clever way of showing the functions of the minute hand and hour hand in telling time.

Overall, I feel that this book is a high‑quality resource for intermediate activities that involve reading for information in an easy‑to‑read format. The book includes only a few hands‑on activities for telling time. It lists a Web site for using the Kid Klok, but I was not able to access the site. I was able to access the site for purchasing the Kid Klok, however. The tool could help students understand how to tell time and determine elapsed time. In conclusion, I enjoyed reading the book and learning more about time. ‑Susan Vohrer Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, MD 21204.