The Waiting Game
"Now we wait..."
The Squad sitting on a bench, looking at a clock.
About this page
After the excitement of pressing send comes the quietest page in the book, four friends on a bench, watching a clock. Waiting is genuinely hard, especially for young researchers, and this page honors that instead of skipping it. Somewhere out there, other scientists are reading the squad's work, which is exactly what peer review looks like from the outside, a long, hopeful pause. Children learn that patience is part of the process, and that big feelings like hope and nervousness can sit side by side, just like friends on a bench.
Talk about it while you color
- What do you think each member of the squad is thinking about while they wait?
- What do you like to do when waiting feels really long?
- What time does the clock show, and what time do you hope the answer comes?