What if you could have just one more minute of anything?

A falling leaf.

A flower opening.

The swirl of milk in a glass.

Tobias James — Toby for short — is always in a race.

Rush to school, rush to lunch, rush through every day. He never slows down long enough to notice anything.

Then he opens the refrigerator.

Inside, between the cheese and the plums, sits Puddles — a small talking penguin who likes it cold, loves string cheese, and wears a magical gold pocket-watch around his neck. The watch has one rule: it gives just one more minute. One minute to watch a leaf spiral through autumn light. One minute to see a moonflower unfurl at dawn. One minute to look up through a spider's web and find a cathedral made of silk.

But the watch can't fix hard things. It can only show beautiful ones.

Puddles the Penguin's Pocket-Watch is a funny, tender, and visually stunning picture book about mindfulness for children who move too fast — and the grown-ups who love them. Written in gentle ABCB verse with rich watercolor-and-ink illustrations, this is a bedtime read-aloud, a classroom conversation-starter, and a gift book for any child learning that the most important moment is always this one.

Perfect for: Children ages 4–8 who struggle with anxiety or restlessness Parents and caregivers seeking gentle mindfulness tools, School counselors and SEL educators, Read-aloud story time programs, Therapist waiting rooms and wellness libraries.

Includes back matter: Author's note for caregivers, Puddles' Slow-Spot Challenge activity, and a personal noticing journal page.

Book 1 of the Puddles & the Pocket-Watch series. 

Available in

Paperback: 8.5x8.5 inch $10 plus shipping

eBook: Digital download-$4