Book Series Review: Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The customers of a Japanese cafe can travel back in time. However, no matter what is said or done, they cannot change the past, and they must return before their cup of coffee gets cold. Meet the customers who take advantage of this magical loophole and learn their reasons for doing so!
In an effort to read more international books, I stumbled upon this charming little series originally by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I remember the first book of the series, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, making the rounds on social media but never had an occasion to look into it until I made the above New Year's resolution. Over the past year, I have read all four books in the series, and I am anxiously awaiting the Tuesday, November, 5th release of the fifth book, Before We Forget Kindness.
The first novel, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, introduces you to the world of the Funiculi Funicula cafe. The time travel capabilities are more of an urban legend, but we as the audience are introduced to not only the patrons desperate to use this power, but the employees that work there and share the rules- of which, there are many. You can only time travel if you sit in a particular chair, and while in the past, you cannot move from that seat. Sometimes, the seat is occupied by a mysterious patron, and you may have to wait until they use the bathroom to take your turn in the chair. Anything you say or do in the past will never change the future. And you must return to the present before the coffee goes cold. I was so used to time travel being used in science fiction media as this intense, confusing, purposeful plot device in some high-stakes conflict that this character-driven approach to the subject was extremely refreshing. It hooked me enough that I wanted to read the next ones too!
I don't want to give too much away, so I will provide some one-sentence summaries to entice you to read the books. The second novel, Tales from the Cafe, explores the lives of the staff a bit more as well as sheds some light on the mysterious customer who haunts the time travel chair. The third novel, Before your Memory Fades, introduces you to a second magical cafe, the Cafe Donna Donna, in northern Japan instead of the first two's Tokyo. And the fourth novel, Before we Say Goodbye, brings us back to Funiculi Funicula with the added bonus of contemplating time traveling into the future instead of the past.
This lightly magical, deeply emotional set of books is the perfect candidate if you are looking to reach your Goodreads goal and need some short yet poignant reads to get you there. The books do have an order, but function more like stand-alone collections of the stories of the patrons, so even if they are read independently, you will still understand most aspects of the novel. These books also serve as a great palate cleanser between larger series, as the plots of each of the sections are usually fairly straightforward. The books range from 3/5 to 4/5 in my book, with the first and third being my favorites. If any of this sounds appealing to you, definitely check out this series!
There is something approachable about discussing encouraging collaboration across school subjects through situations people can actually picture. A shared question can give several classroom subjects a common purpose. That is the kind of detail I would keep in mind while exploring interdisciplinary school learning. I do not have a settled view yet, but this seems like a good place to slow down and look more closely. How can students see the connection between the different parts of a project?
A conversation about learning about lakes and outdoor recreation seems most useful to me when it leaves space for uncertainty and further questions. A lakeside setting can offer opportunities to observe nature and discuss responsible recreation. That is the kind of detail I would keep in mind while exploring Wilkasy outdoor learning. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. How could an outdoor lesson combine observation with consideration for other visitors?
Rozwijanie kreatywne umiejętności może być przydatne nie tylko w zawodach związanych ze sztuką czy projektowaniem. Kreatywność pomaga również w marketingu, biznesie, edukacji i rozwiązywaniu codziennych problemów. Dobry serwis edukacyjny mógłby publikować ćwiczenia, przykłady projektów oraz praktyczne materiały dotyczące projektowania, pisania, tworzenia treści i pracy z narzędziami cyfrowymi. Szczególnie ciekawe byłoby pokazanie całego procesu od pomysłu do gotowego projektu.
Świadomy rozwój osobisty nie musi polegać na ciągłym zwiększaniu produktywności czy realizowaniu coraz większej liczby celów. Często równie ważne są dobre nawyki, odpoczynek, umiejętność koncentracji oraz jasne określenie własnych priorytetów. Warto tworzyć materiały oparte na praktycznych ćwiczeniach i prostych zmianach, które można stopniowo wprowadzać do codziennego życia.
Historia Sobiboru jest ważnym i tragicznym elementem historii Zagłady podczas II wojny światowej. Materiały edukacyjne dotyczące tego miejsca powinny opierać się na wiarygodnych źródłach historycznych, świadectwach ocalałych oraz dokumentach archiwalnych. Szczególną wartość mają opracowania wyjaśniające kontekst powstania obozu, losy jego ofiar oraz wydarzenia związane z buntem więźniów. Tego rodzaju treści powinny być przygotowywane z dużą dbałością o fakty i szacunkiem dla pamięci ofiar.