Kelly Canby, Timeless, Fremantle Press, January 2023, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781460992323
Timeless is a picture book that comments on good use of time, in a playful way. It’s about Emit (whose name is “time” spelt backwards) lamenting lack of time to manage all the busyness he sees around him and attempting to literally capture more time. The story ends with the satisfying solution that to get more time we need to “make more time”.
It’s written and illustrated by Kelly Canby whose previous picture books have been CBCA Notables and Timeless looks like it too will be a winner.
What impresses me most is how a humorous, engaging story about an abstract concept (time) has been cleverly woven around references to Emit’s literal interpretations of common time related idioms – “running out of it”, “losing track of it”, “time flies”, and more. I was amused to realise just how many time idioms (or more likely, clichés) there are.
I also love how Canby’s unique illustration style of sketchy brush strokes evokes a sense of the urgency of movement and activity that Emit sees around him. Similarly, pages cluttered with vibrantly coloured amorphous objects, busy background scenes and hurried people with harried facial expressions, further develop the theme of busyness.
The delightful endpapers are lots of fun too, with “job name puns” written on billboards. Just to name a few – there’s “Holly Day Travel Agent”, “Carrie Oakie singing teacher”, “Olive Yew marriage celebrant”.
Having sophisticated themes, I recommend this book for an older picture book audience (about 5-7 years). It would also be a terrific teaching resource for discussing time concepts and idioms and there are teaching notes on the publisher’s website for just this purpose.
Reviewed by Barbara Swartz
