让我安静五分钟 Five Minutes' Peace

"Five Minutes' Peace" is a classic children's picture book by author Jill Murphy,
first published in 1986!

The book follows the story of Mrs. Large, a busy mother elephant,
who is in desperate need of some peace and quiet.
Her three elephant children are constantly demanding her attention
and making a mess,
and all she wants is just five minutes of solitude to enjoy her cup of tea.

Does that sound familiar?

Actually when I read the book to my kids,
I can see myself in it,
and my kids giggle because they can see themselves in it.

There was one day
when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed
with the competing needs of home, work and multiple children,
and when I flipped open 《让我安静五分钟》
saw the page of the messy breakfast situation
and read "这可不是让人看了会开心的一幕“
I just bawled my eyes out.

I felt so seen.
And also it was comforting to know that I'm not alone,
and mums throughout history can handle it,
so can I.
I heaved out a big sigh,
whispered "I can do this" to myself,
and picked myself up
to continue all the tasks that needed to be done.

The book is relatable and humorous for both parents and children.
It depicts the often chaotic and demanding nature of family life,
while also celebrating the love and joy that comes with it.

The pages definitely brings to mind scenes 
of me feeling so very exhausted and still having to break up quarrels,
listen to tales of what happened in school,
see them show me cool things they've discovered,
or listen to their same jokes over and over again!

The illustrations are colourful and charming,
bringing the story to life in a playful and engaging way.

I hope it will be a treasured book in your home too.

Conversation Starters:

• What is peace? Is it only the absence of conflict?
  What does peace look like in a family, in a marriage, in a home, in a country?
• If you could have 5 minutes of peace, what would you like to do?
• How can we measure 5 minutes? Analogue or digital ways?
• Is 5 minutes long or short? Why does 5 minutes sometime feel so long, yet sometimes it feels so short?
• Can you spot what's wrong in the breakfast table picture?
• If you're the child, what would you think or feel?
• If you're the mama elephant, what would you think or feel?

Recommended for Ages: 3-8
Pages: 28
Format: Hardcover
Language: Simplified Chinese
Author: Jill Murphy
Translated from: English
Translated by: 李紫蓉