Nice and slow by Sarah Ayoub & Mimi Purnell

The slow movement is spreading its influence. From its beginnings in promoting slow food it advocates a cultural shift to slowing down life’s pace, pointing out that all our needs are the same and do not require to be met at a faster step.

This beautiful book exemplifies this movement, advocating a slower pace of life, turning off the digital world as we reconnect with each other and the world we live in.

In seemingly simple rhyming lines, the family resolves to take things nice and slow, to stay longer in bed and forget their worries, have breakfast together with their favourite - pancakes, lounge about spending time together to rediscover what we like about each other, to revisit old toys, do things that have been postponed and dance with loud music or just relax. Each activity is shown with several of the family doing things together, underlining the sense of togetherness and family, making the slowness a house hold theme.

With a strong emphasis on chilling out, the illustrations show a family relaxing together, doing all sorts of things that people hear about but perhaps do not try for themselves; building a fort in the lounge with cushions, meditate, watch a line of ants, cook a meal together, relax under the stars. Using a soft and warm palette of colours, Purnell captures the essence of a family caught up in relaxation and ease, a sense of dreaminess oozes from the page as the family takes life nice and slow.

Themes: Slow movement, Relaxation, Meditation, Family.

Fran Knight