Life as we know completely changed post pandemic. No one was prepared for the outcome of the virus attack. It took the world by surprise like a stealth thief robbing a house in the middle of the night. The world which was running at a high speed , completely slowed down due to the pandemic. Streets became vacant, cafes and shops had a desolate look in the absence of customers.
The Extraordinary Pause by Sara Sadik explores the after effects of the pandemic through the eyes of a child. There is innocence and a child like bewilderment when hugs and kisses became illegal. The world paused in all its actions. There was no rush to reach or go anywhere. Everyone was behind doors due to the pandemic. For an adult this change was like hitting a pause button to the continuous flow of events. From the view of a child this pause was extraordinary. People paid more attention to smaller joys of life like spending time together, family time together, doing things together as a family which usually were given a miss due to the maddening rush of the day. This pause brought people closer and make them notice things they otherwise would miss.
The book highlights the positive effects of the pandemic as seen from the point of view of a child. Instead of a dismal and negative emotion that an adult would show, the book teaches everyone to sometime pause in life. Breathe and slowly look around at the smaller things in life-birds chirping, smiles and the time with family.
A pause at times can create magic only if one let’s the magic unfold. The illustrations add magic to the simple texts. Each illustration speak for itself and makes the theme unfold even if one skips the text. A beautiful book for children and adults alike. Must keep resource for parents, teachers and librarians to discuss the pandemic and help the children in recovering from it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Not just a Librarian 