Elizabeth Garton Scanlon

Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning until night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in the world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky.

Throughout a child's day, five minutes can go by quickly (when you are on a roller coaster) or slowly (when you are in the dentist's chair).

In a series of letters a student laments the absence of her teacher and daily routine, but she soon realizes there are benefits to mixing things up, and that perhaps having a substitue teacher is not so bad afterall.

"When a young boy gets a cold, he just wants his mommy. But his stuffy nose makes it difficult for him to call out to his mom--not 'Bob,' who happens to be the family dog"--