Biography, Mentor Text, STEM: THE FIRE OF STARS

Chronicle Books, 2023

I've admired and learned from blogs posted by  author Kirsten W. Larson going all the way back to one earliest piece about creating curious kids. That was in 2012, near my own launch of this blog. Her most recent picture book, THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, is illustrated by Katherine Roy with enlightening brilliance in matching the text language with the  structure of the visual spreads and sidebar narrative.

One look at the cover hints at what I mean by the inspired art design and illustration. Loose-lined, fluid biographic art reveals moments in  astrophysicist Cecilia Payne's progression from curious child to groundbreaking investigator, astronomer, professor, and award-winner as one of the rare woman scientists of her time. Her discovery confirmed what, exactly, those sparkly dots in the night sky were made of. But the astronomical art is as precise and awe-inspiringly accurate as NASA slides! The two styles in combination offer a mirror to the parallel text approach using brilliant brief phrasing to describe the spawning/birth/maturity cycle of new stars on each page with simple and crisp narrative descriptions of Cecilia's path from childhood to her paradigm-changing discovery and beyond. You truly must read this fully to recognize how suitable the two visual and text narrative arcs reflect the processes of "coming of age" as stages in an elaborate process, not simplistic steps. This single spread interior page is just a whisper of many glorious examples throughout:

Chronicle Books, THE FIRE OF STARS, interior.

For centuries the assumption was that stars were made of the same materials as planets. The possibility that it could be something else was rarely even considered, except by Cecilia. She not only wondered and gathered data, she identified proofs for her radical theory within existing data that others had viewed for other purposes and without the imagination and flexible thinking of this curious, persistent woman.

Even if the question of how stars form is not a priority for you, I'm asking you to trust that the material in the hands of such a skilled writing and creative team will fascinate and inspire you. If you already are  a night-sky-wonderer, I'm certain you'll be "over the moon" about this one!  Please give this new picture book a look, and let's give Cecilia Payne the starry spotlight she deserves.

The Countdown to CYBILS AWARDS Announcements!

I took a short break from posting here for a much-needed connection with family, but I'm back in time to share some recommended titles that were nominees for CYBILS ELEMENTARY NONFICTION AWARDS, but missed the cut as finalists. Out of dozens and dozens of fantastic books, only a few make it that far, and then only ONE will be named the award-winner on FEBRUARY 14, just a few days away. I have never volunteered for this final phase, because I already struggle as a Round One panelist to narrow the field to seven titles, any one of which could well deserve the award. That final cut is just too painful for me to be a participant in the decision.

Even so, I will use my humble platform here to shine some light on picture books that I particularly enjoyed and believe you will, too.

These three titles celebrate the heroism and strength of women. All are nonfiction, and yet they employ a range of approaches very effectively and that suit each account perfectly. Each brings excitement and "AHA" reactions to what has been achieved by women with a purpose.

Clarion Books, 2021
Booklist starred review

It's easy to begin with a woman who was/is a wonder, in a book that will capture attention from readers of many ages and interests. A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything is written by Kirsten W. Larson and illustrated by  Katy Wu.  

This is a thorough examination of the comic hero WONDER WOMAN with thumbnail profiles of each of the actual folks who contributed to the creation and success of this iconic superhero. The scope of many decades involves many of these thumbnail spotlights, during which the idea for WW emerged, was executed and embraced by the comic-reading public, and then traveled a troubled course of diminishment, disinterest, and eventual recovery. The comic-illustration style and formatting suits it well and will add to the adventuresome experience of discovery of Wonder Woman's history.

Harry N. Abrams
Books for Young Readers, 2021

If you are interested in another "star-studded" superhero woman, look no further than The Stuff Between The Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe written by Sandra Nickel and illustrated by Aimée Sicuro. 

This is an appealing and accessible account of a curious girl who pursued her questions and dreams despite a repeated (and powerful) pattern of dismissiveness and outright rejection. Her persistence and pursuit of scientific explanations was not related to attention seeking or awards. I appreciated the way the author emphasized Rubin's particular obsession with investigating the topics and areas of study that were neglected by others. The lifelong feminist in me wants to gift this book to every young girl. I certainly agree with this review and others who sing the praises of this powerful book:

"Readers will be inspired by the vastness of the universe as they learn about Rubin’s discoveries." 
— School Library Journal

Finally (for today, but with more coming in the next several days) let's celebrate the quiet heroism of everyday people, especially women, who change lives on a daily basis. 

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021

Dear Librarian is written by Lydia M. Sigwarth and illustrated by Romina Galotta. 

We should never assume that ANYONE, at any time, who crosses our paths might not need us like a life boat in a storm. Even as we speak to them, offer a hand, or simply smile, the impact may not be visible or noteworthy. But such small gestures and acts of decency and kindness can be cumulative and compelling. In this case the author recounts the impact of a library (her safe and steady place in tumultuous times) and a librarian (a person who saw someone unique and worthy of her attention and time) who changed her life.

This is a heartwarming and important reminder of the role of public libraries in all lives, but especially for those in need of a true "home". 

I'll share more of these "winning" picture books in the next few days leading up to (and following) the CYBILS AWARDS category winner on Monday, Valentine's Day. I'm excited to see the result, but also excited to share these valuable picture books with you here. Be a hero today, or some day soon, and share one or all of them with a young reader you know and love!