Time is something with which we are all familiar and yet if we were asked to define it, I think that many of us would struggle. Something that is ever present and that has huge influence over the way we live, time is – as I learned from this brilliant new nonfiction title – the most used noun in the English language so to try to create a comprehensive but accessible book for young readers on the subject is not a task for the faint-hearted. Fortunately for us, authors teacher and writer Alom Shaha and expert watchmaker and horologist Rebecca Struthers have created a read that is not just educational but is also highly entertaining as they take us by the hand and guide us on an exploration of time like no other that I have read. After addressing that tricky question of what time actually is, we are introduced to the idea of its being related to space and are given a quick explanation of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity before moving on to look at how many organisms and even microorganisms have an innate sense of time that drives many of their behaviours. Perhaps many people’s first thoughts if asked to define time would be to try to explain the units with which we measure it and here they are not just covered but we learn how they were decided upon, leading logically into the many types of calendar that mankind has developed, over what many readers might consider to be a surprisingly long period of time, and devices used to measure time’s passing. As well as looking at early devices, such as the sundial, clear instructions are given for children to make their own versions, using inexpensive, readily available materials, adding hugely to their understanding of how time was measured before the development of more complicated devices and leading very nicely into clocks and watches. The chapters covering these are packed full of details on the mechanics of how they work; I learned loads from them but, crucially, at no point do the authors forget the age of their audience, with the text and accompanying diagrams created in such a way as to be really clear and easy to understand. The latter part of the book moves on to cover areas such as time zones and how the lengths of days and years varies throughout the solar system, Big Bang Theory and geological time before introducing us to a diverse range of individuals past and present who have made outstanding contributions to the development of timekeeping devices, information relating to pursuing a career in watchmaking for those whose curiosity has been piqued, how we are reliant on increasingly accurate timekeeping in the modern world and a really handy glossary. With the text presented in short bursts, young readers will enjoy picking this up for either a quick read or – more likely – a much longer one once they are hooked in, and this combined with Lucy Rose’s beautiful artwork, make this a title that it is easy to get lost in. Perfect for those in KS2, I’d suggest this would make a great addition to any Year 5 or 6 bookshelf, where concepts from the maths and science curricula have been seamlessly woven into the pages to help reinforce in-class learning. I found this utterly fascinating and am sure that many children will too.