February 2023, Fremantle Press
About Timeless
Emit (whose parents turned back time to name him) is surrounded by busyness. Dad is too busy to read stories, Mum is too busy to play games and Emits brother and sister are simply too busy doing nothing at all to do anything, at all. What the family needs, Emit decides, is more of what they lack: time. So, he sets off to find some. He tries to catch it (because time flies) and wait for it (because time stands still) but it’s not until Emit tries to buy some time that he learns the secret which is, if you want time, you have to make it.
Praise for Timeless
‘This book is an utter delight! It’s amusing, heartwarming and full of clever word play. The illustrations are a riot of colour and in a striking illustration style that’s refreshingly different from many other picture books.’ Love Four Reading
‘Canby’s previous award-winning picture books The Hole Story, Littlelight and Rodney have cemented her distinctive and thought-provoking storytelling, and Timeless is no different. With its themes of community, family and quality time, this picture book is perfect for reading aloud to your kids. The words leap off the page in colourful watercolour strokes that might inspire young readers to paint and recreate some of the stunning pages from the book… Timeless is striking and filled to the brim with heart and swathes of colour. From the first page, you can’t help but be endeared toward Emit in his stripy green shirt and expressive illustration. Paired with Canby’s rhythmic storytelling, Timeless is heart-warming and incredibly clever. It’s a gorgeous tale that’s playful, innovative and – in our busy modern world – very timely.’ Better Reading
‘Canby has created a meaningful picture book that will hopefully generate many discussions. Her colourful and washy ink illustrations burst with expression and bring to life the important messages of the book…’ Magpies Magazine
‘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.’ CBCA Reading Time
‘Kelly’s zany and colourful illustrations are what make this clever exercise in abstract thinking understandable and appealing to young children … Teachers will find much to work with here as it offers scope for language studies, humanities and the visual arts while children will enjoy the vibrant artwork and its playful text.’ Story Links
‘This is a very cleverly written picture book that weaves idioms about time into a strong narrative … For younger readers, it’s a beautiful lyrical read, with bright, beautiful illustrations that draw your attention. For older readers, it’s a great discussion starter.’ @littlebookishteacher
‘This beautiful book is filled with vibrant and appealing illustrations on each double page and striking endpapers full of busyness and explosions of colour. The simple yet powerful text tells a story that will resonate with children and the adults in their lives.’ ReadPlus
Awards:
• Notable Book – Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) 2024 Book of the Year Award – Picture Book Category
Rights sold:
Turkey
kellycanby.com 