April 21 – It’s Global Astronomy Month

About the Holiday

Instituted by Astronomers Without Borders, a group who sees in our shared sky an opportunity to create “a global community that appreciates, studies, and shares the wonders of the universe, to broaden perspectives, transcend borders, and improve lives,” The group’s goals are twofold: to inspire and empower a worldwide community of astronomy enthusiasts and educators through astronomy-related programs and to cultivate a diverse, international community dedicated to sharing the Earth’s resources equitably. To try to accomplish these goals, Global Astronomy Month brings people together with arts activities, parties, and special events. To find resources, such as April sky maps in English and Spanish, and more information on how you can participate, visit the Astronomers Without Borders website.

**The Little Spacecraft That Could: New Horizons’ Amazing Journey to Pluto and Arrokoth**

Written by Joyce Lapin | Illustrated by Simona Ceccarelli

As the little spacecraft blasted away from the launch pad on January 19, 2006, she thought that her name—New Horizons—“was a brave-sounding name. And you had to be brave to fly to the edge of the solar system.” New Horizons was on her way to Pluto—the first spacecraft to do so. Zooming through space, her engines dropped away in stages. Free of these engines the little spacecraft, “no bigger than a small piano… streaked through space at more than 10 miles per second.”

While she soared, New Horizons wondered what she would find when she finally reached Pluto. She knew that everyone was counting on her to provide answers about this mysterious planet. People had a lot of questions, and New Horizons had a lot of time to ponder them. In fact, it would take her “nearly 10 years to reach Pluto.” Things were going well for New Horizons. She was on track and jogging along at 36,000 miles an hour… but then on August 24, 2006, astronomers decided Pluto wasn’t big enough to be considered a planet and demoted it to dwarf planet status.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-little-spacecraft-that-could-launch

Image copyright Simona Ceccarelli, 2021, text copyright Joyce Lapin, 2021. Courtesy of Sterling Publishing.

Planetary scientists didn’t and don’t agree with this change, and New Horizons? She just wanted to complete her mission, and she had to concentrate on what came next—meeting up with Jupiter at just the right time to take advantage of this giant planet’s gravitational pull to speed up her trajectory toward Pluto. Carefully, New Horizons got into position. She sped faster and faster and was flung into space, heading toward her destination at “nearly a million miles per day.”

Now and for the next eight years, New Horizons would fly on autopilot while she took a well-deserved nap that would conserve fuel as well as her computers and instruments. Periodic wake-ups by the scientists on Earth made sure everything was going well. Finally, on December 6, 2014 it was time for New Horizons to wake up and go to work. She wouldn’t be landing on Pluto but doing a “flyby” 7,800 miles away from the surface of Pluto. At this distance the photographs she took would be clear and her other instruments for listening, smelling, feeling, and measuring other aspects of Pluto and its atmosphere would work too.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-little-spacecraft-that-could-robotic

Image copyright Simona Ceccarelli, 2021, text copyright Joyce Lapin, 2021. Courtesy of Sterling Publishing.

New Horizons couldn’t wait to get started and began snapping pictures “from half a million miles out.” What people saw when she sent back her photos “sent the internet on fire.” It appeared that Pluto was holding a white heart—a valentine for Earth. “Everybody loved the dwarf planet with a heart!” This heart is actually a glacier made of nitrogen, which on Pluto’s cold surface forms ice instead of gas like on Earth

On July 14, 2015, New Horizons at last reached her optimal distance, and what wonders she uncovered! Towering ice mountains, valleys deeper than the Grand Canyon, “‘ice blades’ the height of New York City skyscrapers,” and “‘ice volcanoes’…that spew out icy slush instead of lava.” This was only the beginning of what scientists discovered. Measurements also showed that Pluto was larger than was thought—bumping it up “from second-largest dwarf planet to the largest.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-little-spacecraft-that-could-control-room

Image copyright Simona Ceccarelli, 2021, text copyright Joyce Lapin, 2021. Courtesy of Sterling Publishing.

New Horizons also took pictures and measurements of Pluto’s moons and, after snapping one last picture: Pluto “‘crowned’ with the hazy blue glow of its atmosphere” while lit from behind by the Sun, New Horizons was off for Arrokoth, an object in the Kuiper Belt that hadn’t even been discovered when she blasted off from Earth all those years ago. A billion miles later, New Horizons reached Arrokoth on January 1, 2019. New Horizons continues to send information about this fascinating body, and because she’s still so “robust…her team wants [her] to visit an even more distant Kuiper Belt world in the 2020s. No one doubts she can do it.

In addition to the story about New Horizons’ journey, each page contains illustrated insets with detailed facts and information about the New Horizons spacecraft, Pluto, our solar system, how the planets were named, and more.

Back matter includes a timeline of New Horizons’ journey, an extensive glossary, a list of books for further reading and research, and a list of internet resources where readers can see videos and learn more about New Horizons and her mission.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-little-spacecraft-that-could-pluto-heart

Image copyright Simona Ceccarelli, 2021, text copyright Joyce Lapin, 2021. Courtesy of Sterling Publishing.

Joyce Lapin’s thrilling true tale of New Horizons’ mission to Pluto and beyond lends pep and personality to this little spacecraft that the world watched blast off with the heart and anticipation of a parent sending their child off on their first day of school. Her engaging storytelling helps kids understand and appreciate the magnitude of New Horizons’ flight and all it has accomplished. Lapin’s clear descriptions of the various stages of the mission, scientists’ expectations, and the tricky maneuvering necessary to put New Horizons at the right place at the right time are delivered smoothly and concisely.

Scientific vocabulary and definitions are woven seamlessly throughout, enhancing the reader’s understanding without their losing any of the suspense. Kids will identify with the childlike nature of New Horizons’ confidence in herself and commiserate with her dismay when Pluto is demoted. Readers will cheer on this little spacecraft as her mission is expanded and will be excited to learn more about what New Horizons has already discovered and what she will find in the future.

Simona Ceccarelli’s illustrations are nothing short of phenomenal. Photographic in detail, Ceccarelli’s vibrant images take kids from the launchpad with the fiery rocket boosters produce clouds of smoke as the spacecraft climbs into the sky, into outer space, where they see how the engines disengaged to set New Horizons free to navigate past Mars, pick up speed from Jupiter (shown in its colorful, striped glory) and rocket past Saturn (the rocky debris of its icy rings clearly visible) to become just a dot in the black sky.

Ceccarelli also takes readers into the control room where graphs, screens, coordinates, and more line the walls and computers stand side-by-side on the desks and carefully observed by the mission’s directors. Images of the heart on Pluto include internet snapshots that will remind some readers of how the world reacted to the first images sent back by New Horizons.

The final images of Pluto, showing a landscape of ice blades, deep canyons, mountains, and swirling patterns of color and then backlit by the Sun, are breathtaking. The spacecraft itself is lightly anthropomorphized with expressive eyes and mouth and cable-thin arms. Drawn from all sides, the images of New Horizons give kids a good a look at this amazing spacecraft.

A sensational achievement in presenting the scientific and human accomplishments involved in the New Horizons mission as well as an exhilarating overview of our solar system, The Little Spacecraft That Could would be a stimulating addition to science units for elementary and high school students to spark a love for astronomy, engineering, research, and other related subjects. The book will be a favorite and is a must for home, classroom, and public library collections.

Ages 7 and up

Sterling Children’s Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1454937555

Discover more about Joyce Lapin and her books, visit her website.

To learn more about Simona Ceccarelli, her books, and her art, visit her website

Global Astronomy Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rocket-to-the-moon-tic-tac-toe-game

Out-of-This-World Tic-Tac-Toe Game

You can launch your own Tic-Tac-Toe Game with this set you make yourself! With just a couple of egg cartons, some crayons, and a printable game board, you’ll be off to the moon for some fun! Opposing players can be designated by rockets and capsules. Each player will need 5 playing pieces.

SUPPLIES

Printable Moon Tic-Tac-Toe Game Board
2 cardboard egg cartons
Heavy stock paper or regular printer paper
Crayons
Black or gray fine-tip marker

DIRECTIONS

To Make the Rockets

Cut the tall center cones from the egg carton
Trim the bottoms of each form so they stand steadily, leaving the arched corners intact
Pencil in a circular window on one side near the top of the cone
Color the rocket body any colors you like, going around the window and stopping where the arched corners begin
With the marker color the arched corners of the form to make legs
On the cardboard between the legs, color flames for blast off

To Make the Capsule

Cut the egg cups from an egg carton
Color the sides silver, leaving the curved section uncolored. (If your egg cup has no pre-pressed curve on the sides of the cup, draw one on each side.)
Color the curved section yellow to make windows
With the marker, dot “rivets” across the capsule

Print the Moon Game Board and play!

**You can find The Little Spacecraft That Could at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 20 – It’s Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Instituted in 1975, Medical Laboratory Professionals Week aims to raise awareness of and an appreciation for the importance of laboratory professionals to patient care. Better and more accurate diagnoses as well as targeted treatment are accomplished through the specialized knowledge and dedication of laboratory technicians. This year, especially, we celebrate these individuals who have worked tirelessly to help create a vaccine to combat the COVID-19 virus. Laboratory Science can be an exciting and rewarding career choice for science– and medical-minded students. To learn more about today’s holiday and the work of laboratory professionals, visit the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science website and LibraryScienceCareers.

Germs Up Close

By Sara Levine

You know they’re there. It’s hard to forget, since people keep reminding you: “wash your hands,” “use sanitizer,” “sneeze into your elbow,” “don’t leave food out too long.” But since you can’t see the germs, it can be hard to remember all the time. If only you could see what everyone is warning you about that might make it easier. Well, now you can with Sara Levine’s book Germs Up Close (and I mean really, really close), which also tells you exactly where germs come from and what they do.

How can you see a germ? “With special magnifying equipment and some dye to make their parts show up,” you can see exactly what different kinds of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses look like. And you might be surprised to discover that they are very “interesting and beautiful to look at.” Levine lets you in on some fascinating facts about each type of germ, including how its name is pronounced, its common name, its microscopic appearance, where it lives, some diseases it causes, and some more you ought to know. So, let’s get started.

Okay, let’s have a show of (clean) hands! “Have you ever had a cavity? An ear infection? Strep throat?” Yeah? Then you’re already acquainted with bacteria. Sounds bad, huh? Well, yes and no. Levine explains that the majority of bacteria on your body are actually helpful. It’s the bad bacteria that can make us sick that are called germs. In her section on bacteria, Levine introduces kids to salmonella, spirillum, staphylococcus, streptococcus, and Escherichia coli (better known as E. coli) with colorful photographs of each of these “round, hotdog-shaped, or wormlike and squiggly bacteria.

Next up are protozoa. You know not to drink pond water or dirty water, right? These little, one-cell-big guys are the reason why. Here, kids learn about “trypanosoma, the germ that causes sleeping sickness,” plasmodium, which causes malaria, and giardia, which causes giardiasis, an intestinal infection. Turning the page, they’ll discover different kinds of fungi, some of which are edible, like mushrooms and yeast, and others which can produce itchy rashes, yeast infections, or ringworm.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-germs-up-close-bacteria

And now we come to a germ you’re all very familiar with: the virus. If you’ve had a cold or the flu or “been vaccinated against viral infections that used to be very common such as mumps, measles, and chickenpox,” you’ve heard about viruses. And, of course, we all know about the coronavirus. But what do these germs look like? Kids get to see them in all of their round, peas-in-a-pod, peanut-shaped, or knob-covered wonder.

But how can we stop germs in their tracks or fight them when they do invade? “The good news is that our bodies take care of most of this for us” through our immune system. Levine gives kids a detailed overview of the ways our skin, mucus, saliva, and stomach acid combat the germs that assail us. She also talks about the different kinds of white blood cells we have and how each kills germs. Illustrations show what the five types of white blood cells look like and their comparative sizes.

Levine reminds kids of all the ways people can protect themselves from surface and air-borne germs as well as germs that are transmitted through food and water. Her discussion on vaccines explains how they work and prepare white blood cells to recognize and fight germs. Still, sometimes we do get sick, and Levine reassures kids that there are medicines for each kind of germ that can make the better.

A glossary, a list of eleven careers that revolve around germs or helping sick people, and resources for further reading or research follow the text.

Sara Levine strikes just the right balance of humor and hard science facts in her engaging and educational book about the germs that make us sick as well as good bacteria and fungi, how our body protects us from most germs, and the vaccines and medicines that help us get well. Through her compelling writing style, Levine presents complex concepts in ways that make it easy for readers to embrace biological and medical science and get excited about research and learning more.

The stunning color photographs of various types of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses with their unusual shapes – some sporting protrusions like a hairbrush and others that look like they could be the stars of their own sci-fi picture book or TV show – will wow kids and spark a fascination for this important field of knowledge and research.

A fantastic book to add to home libraries for kids who are interested in medicine, biology, veterinary science, and other research sciences, Germs Up Close is a must for school libraries to enhance science, STEM, and research lessons as well as for public library collections.

Ages 5 – 10

Millbrook Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1728424088

Discover more about Sara Levine and her books on her website.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week Activity

Look Out for Germs! Word Search

Find the twenty-three words associated with germs in this printable word search puzzle.

Look Out for Germs! Word Search Puzzle | Look Out for Germs! Word Search Solution

**You can find Germs Up Close at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 19 – It’s National Frog Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

With the rainy weather of April, swampy areas and wetlands swell with water, and peeps and throaty croaks begin to fill the nighttime air. April is the perfect time to learn more about the more than 4700 species of frogs as well as their importance to the ecosystem. Frogs are vital to the food system, and they eat insects that are harmful to crops and carry disease. Because they don’t drink water but absorb it through their skin, frogs are particularly susceptible to pollution. In addition, habitat destruction, climate change, and an increase in invasive species threaten the frog population, making the conservation of their environment of utmost importance. To raise awareness of the importance and threats to frogs, Save the Frogs conservation organization has established April 24 as Save the Frogs Day. You can learn more about their work and how you can participate on the Save the Frogs website. To celebrate National Frog Month, hop over to I Love Veterinary for some toad-ally awesome activities and facts about these fascinating amphibians!

Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Anna Kubaszewska

When Elliot was a little tadpole, he lived in the pond, making friends with the fish and sea creatures who lived there too. But Elliot had lost his tail, grown strong legs, and acquired the ability to breathe air. “Now, he was old enough to hop on land!” Elliot began looking for a new home. He wanted his home to be just right.

He spied a “blue, square-shaped stone, but it was too cold.” The next spot he tried was round and “too hard.” He found a “diamond-shaped patch of grass” and a bumpy log, but those weren’t quite right either. He tried hopping onto lots of things he found in the woods—and even into an old discarded box, but none of these places felt like home.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-elliot-the-heart-shaped-frog-snail

Image copyright Anna Kubaszewska, 2021, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2021. Courtesy of Rainstorm Publishing.

Under the full moon, Elliot went to sleep and had a sweet dream about finding a home and making a new friend. When he woke up, there on the pond, floated a green “heart-shaped lily pad.” Elliot leaped on. It felt just right. And not far away, a little girl frog was waving at him. Elliot gathered a little bouquet of flowers and went to her pad to visit “his new heart-shaped friend.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-elliot-the-heart-shaped-frog-square

Image copyright Anna Kubaszewska, 2021, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2021. Courtesy of Rainstorm Publishing.

Matt Forrest Esenwine’s enchanting story of a little frog looking for the perfect home and a new friend on land is a sweet introduction to basic shapes and colors for the youngest readers. Its familiar “Goldilocks” structure makes it easy for little ones to join in on the refrains of “too cold”, “too hard”, and the rest. Little ones will be charmed by Elliot and understand his desire to find the place where he belongs and to make new friends after his big move to dry land. Esenwine’s gentle storytelling makes this a perfect book for bedtime, naptime, or any story time.

Bright, cheery, and full of smiles, Anna Kubaszewska’s illustrations are sure to make little ones’ smile back as they follow Elliot on his search for the perfect home. Elliot, with his heart-shaped body, heart-shaped spots, and infectious enthusiasm, is adorable, as are all of the pond-side creatures Elliot encounters. Inspired by Esenwine’s specific references to various shapes and colors, Kubaszewska invites kids to look for them and others throughout her lush illustrations.

An endearing and vibrant board book, Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog will quickly become a favorite on any baby’s, toddler’s, or preschooler’s bookshelf at home, school, and for public libraries. In addition to its introduction of the concepts of shapes and colors, the book would make a wonderful story to share with little ones beginning daycare or preschool or learning early nature science.

Ages 2 – 5

Rainstorm Publishing, 2021 | ISBN 978-1628858020 (Board Book)

Discover more about Matt Forrest Esenwine, his books, poetry, and other work on his website.

To learn more about Anna Kubaszewska and see a portfolio of her work, visit her website.

National Frog Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-frog-matching-game

Hop Along Matching Game

Hop along now and help these frogs! Each of these frogs has a twin, but they’ve gotten separated. Can you spot the identical pairs in this printable game?

Hop Along Matching Game

**You can find Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog at these booksellers**

Main Street Bookends | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 16 – Global Astronomy Month COVER REVEAL of The Universe and You

Posted by Kath Carroll

The Universe and You

Written by Suzanne Slade | Illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman

As the sun goes down and the stars come out, a little girl is tucked into bed in the midst of a beautiful celestial dance. Although Earth seems solid and still while she sleeps, it’s actually spinning on its axis and circling the sun. Joining Earth in this orbit around the sun are the other seven planets in our solar system, along with dozens of moons and millions of comets and asteroids. Containing our solar system is the wondrous Milky Way galaxy, with its billions of stars, just like our own sun, swirling and whirling around. And on from there are billions of galaxies with their own stars swirling, whirling into the ever-expanding space called our universe. When the sun rises, the little girl awakens on a brand-new day as the “moving, circling, and swirling” dance continues.

Through lyrical text, award-winning science writer Suzanne Slade takes young readers on an exploration of Earth, our solar system, the galaxies beyond, and finally the universe as a whole. Illustrated back matter includes scientific facts about our solar system.

Meet Suzanne Slade

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Suzanne-Slade-space-headshot

Suzanne Slade is the award-winning author of more than 100 books, including June Almeida, Virus Detective! The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus. She lives in Libertyville, Illinois. Learn more about Suzanne at suzanneslade.com. You can connect with Suzanne on Twitter.

Welcome, Suzanne! I’m really excited to be talking with you about this inspirational book for little dreamers! What inspired you to write The Universe and You?

I’ve done a lot of research about space exploration in the last decade for various book projects, so space seems to be on my mind. (Plus, I’m a mechanical engineer who has worked on rockets.) In more recent years I’ve been working on a book about a woman astronomer, so was reading about stars/galaxies and visited an observatory. Then one morning I woke with the idea of a simple, lyrical bedtime book which starts with Earth, moves out to our solar system, our galaxy, and the universe.

The cover to The Universe and You is stunning! What was your first reaction when you saw it?

The illustrator, Stephanie Fizer Coleman, initially created 3 rough cover sketches to gather opinions. The sketch I liked best ended up as the cover design, so when I later saw it in full, glorious color I was blown away. Stephanie knocked this cover out of the park (and universe!).

In what ways did Stephanie Fizer Coleman’s illustrations surprise you or go beyond what you had imagined?

I hadn’t given a great deal of thought to what the child’s dreams might entail (though I knew they’d have to do with space). I love Stephanie’s creative and colorful depictions of the girl dreaming about soaring through space in a rocket and walking on the moon. I also adore the wonderful space items in the girl’s bedroom and the fantastic planets in the solar system!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-universe-and-you-interior-1

Image copyright Stephanie Fizer Coleman, 2021. Text copyright Suzanne Slade, 2021. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Books.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-universe-and-you-interior-3

Image copyright Stephanie Fizer Coleman, 2021. Text copyright Suzanne Slade, 2021. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Books.

In college you studied engineering and actually worked on Delta and Titan Rockets. What is one of the coolest things you learned while working as an engineer on these rockets?

How a rocket works. It was fascinating to learn about the rocket “stages” needed to launch it from Earth, how a rocket soars through space, and much more.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-universe-and-you-interior-2

Image copyright Stephanie Fizer Coleman, 2021. Text copyright Suzanne Slade, 2021. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Books.

You’ve written so many wonderful books about so many diverse people and subjects, including June Almeida, Virus Detective!, which was just released in March. What is your favorite part about writing STEAM books for kids?

My favorite part is introducing young readers to a fascinating STEM topic or person who has made a big impact in a STEM field. The challenging aspect of creating a picture book is to find an engaging way to present the story so it draws readers in and makes them want to find out more.

What would you like for kids to take away from this story?

I hope it inspires children to dream BIG dreams and boldly pursue those dreams!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-universe-and-you-interior-4

Image copyright Stephanie Fizer Coleman, 2021. Text copyright Suzanne Slade, 2021. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Books.

Meet Stephanie Fizer Coleman

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-stephanie-fizer-coleman-headshot

Stephanie Fizer Coleman has illustrated numerous children’s books, including You Are Mine, Porcupine. She lives in Scott Depot, West Virginia. Learn more about Stephanie atstephfc.com. You can connect with Stephanie on Instagram.

Hi, Stephanie! I’m thrilled for readers to get their first look at the breathtaking cover you designed for The Universe and You! What inspired this image? Can you describe your process of designing and finalizing this cover illustration?

Well, I can’t take all the credit, because Felicia, the art director on this book, had a clear idea of what would go on the cover. I knew the cover would feature some beautiful universe bits and of course, our smart and sweet main character too.

I worked up three cover options to start with, including one with the rocket ship, which is my favorite bit from the book. In the end, the image of the girl sitting on the moon with the Milky Way swirling behind her was chosen. We did a few more versions of the sketch, changing some little things like having her sitting on the Earth instead of the moon, and then it was off to final cover art!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-universe-and-you-initial-cover-sketches

Image copyright Stephanie Fizer Coleman, 2021. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Did you have a passion for outer space prior to reading this story?

You know, I’ve always been more of a history buff, but my husband is a space nerd, so over the years a fascination with space has grown in me as well. I could look at Hubble photos for hours!

Do you have a favorite spread in the book? If so, which one and why?

Both dream spreads, with the rocket ship, are my favorites! It was fun to think up what this girl would be dreaming about and to tie that in with the outer space theme.

One of my initial sketches for this was the girl as a little artist who loved painting planetary bodies and I was a little sad when it got cut, so instead I hinted at her creative energy by imagining the kind of rocket ships her dream self would create.

In the end, I’m so happy that both dream spreads involve the adorable rocket ship and our adventuring astronaut pair.

If you were going to visit outer space, where would you like to go?

This is tough because I’m obsessed with the Crab Nebula! How magical is the Crab Nebula? I mean, seriously. But also Jupiter is my favorite planet and I think I could orbit Jupiter for many years, totally engrossed in watching the rolling storms on its surface.

You have an affinity for flight of another kind too—birds! Several years ago you embarked on a project to paint a bird a day for one hundred days. Readers can see the original charming and beautiful 100 + 1 birds on your website as well as follow along with your current bird drawings on Instagram. What inspired you to do this project? Do you have a favorite bird?

I started the 100 Day project as a way to explore my style using a subject matter I already loved: birds! The simple shapes and vibrant colors lend themselves to creative exploration while feeling easy and approachable as a subject matter. My favorite bird is the chickadee and I try to sneak them into as many children’s books as I possibly can.

What do you like best about illustrating children’s books?

I love getting to illustrate the books that I would have loved as a child! There’s something special about making something that will show children how beautiful the world is and how magical nature is.

Thanks so much, Suzanne and Stephanie, for sharing the story behind The Universe and You! I’m sure readers can’t wait to see your book when it blasts into bookstores on August 15th!

**You can preorder The Universe and You from these booksellers**

Anderson’s Bookshops | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, preorder from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 14 – It’s Global Astronomy Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Thanks to Abrams Books and Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of The Stuff Between the Stars for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own. I’m excited to be hosting a giveaway of the book. See details below.

The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro

Vera had always been fascinated with the night sky. As she gazed up through her bedroom window, she saw when “the stars were stirring, and something bright stirred in Vera too.” She began studying everything she could about the stars, planets, and how they interacted in the night sky. She even made her own telescope from a cardboard tube and a lens. At seventeen Vera began attending Vassar College as the only astronomy major in her class. Here, she could use the school’s telescope whenever she wanted.