About this item
Highlights
- A child's stargazing excursion turns into an interstellar journey to explore faraway planets During a night of stargazing, a child looks up at the planets that make up our solar system and wonders about what lies beyond.
- 4-8 Years
- 12.0" x 9.0" Hardcover
- 36 Pages
- Juvenile Fiction, Technology
Description
About the Book
"In this gorgeously illustrated informational picture book, a child goes stargazing with their parent, and the night sky sparks the child's curiosity: "When I look deep into the sky at night, I wonder, wonder about worlds." Some worlds can be seen with our eyes, some through telescopes, some are seen in pictures sent back to Earth by spaceships, and others are so faraway, we can't see what they look like at all. The child then imagines themself (and their fox friend) rocketing through the Milky Way to visit planets beyond the solar system to see what worlds they can find. These faraway planets are called exoplanets and come in fascinating variety: one is a fiery "lava world," another is "an ocean world with towering waves." When the child lands their spaceship on an Earth-like exoplanet they discover that, unlike Earth, there are no people on the planet-and they decide it is time to return home to the world they know and love best. Non-fiction content: Each spread includes informational sidebars that explain the child's journey in clear, accessible language. The exoplanets that the child and the reader encounter in the story are not imaginary. The worlds that they imagine seeing and landing on are based on broad types of exoplanets that have been discovered very recently in the field of astronomical science. captivating illustrations. The final spread is a map of the Solar System, which provides further information about our solar system"--Book Synopsis
A child's stargazing excursion turns into an interstellar journey to explore faraway planets
During a night of stargazing, a child looks up at the planets that make up our solar system and wonders about what lies beyond.
The child imagines rocketing through the Milky Way to explore exoplanets--planets that exist outside our solar system. The child zooms past a fiery world made of lava and a water world with gargantuan rolling waves, both based on real exoplanets discovered by scientists. When the little astronaut visits an unpopulated exoplanet that looks exactly like Earth, they are reminded of home--and that's when they turn their ship around and head back to the planet they know and love most.
Packed with captivating illustrations and fascinating facts, this companion to Journey Around the Sun and A Star Explodes is a whimsical introduction to our solar system and exoplanets. Throughout the book, sidebars provide further information on the planets in our solar system and the exoplanets spotted on the child's journey. Author James Gladstone masterfully weaves together lyrical storytelling with STEM content for an engaging space journey that encourages readers to think about their place in the universe.
Review Quotes
"An imaginative look at a very complex topic."
-- "Canadian Review of Materials""Combines storytelling and science in a picture book that encourages re-reading ... A good resource for teachers and librarians looking to add material that bridges the gap between fiction and nonfiction, and for parents of children fascinated with space."
-- "Quill & Quire""A dreamy imaginary voyage keyed to expanding younger readers' horizons."
-- "Booklist""A whimsical and informative introduction to our solar system and exoplanets ... Gladstone masterfully weaves together lyrical storytelling with STEM content for an engaging space journey that encourages young readers to think about their place in the universe."
-- "Midwest Book Review""Accompanied by a short imaginative story with just a few words, each page of this book contains a plethora of knowledge about each planet in the Milky Way as well as other celestial bodies in the universe."
-- "Children's Literature Comprehensive Database""Skillfully blends facts about the planets in our solar system with a sweet tale ... Winsome yet striking illustrations ... Awe, indeed."
-- "The New York Times""Straightforward scientific writing counterbalanced with warm, dreamlike illustrations ... [An] accessible introductory survey."
-- "Publishers Weekly"