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Aliens and Other Worlds: True Tales from Our Solar System and Beyond by Lisa Harvey-Smith ill. Tracie Grimwood

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From the author of Under The Stars, Astrophysics For Everyone.

Did life on Earth arrive on a meteorite from outer space? Are there living beings on planets beyond our solar system? If they are out there, what might these aliens look like? Would they be smart, curious, scared? Would they even want to meet us?

Revealing the wonders of scientific inquiry, astrophysicist and best-selling author Lisa Harvey-Smith guides Earthlings young and old through our search for alien life. On the way, she considers where our best chances are to find any galactic neighbours; ponders whether they might already be living among us; and looks at what we might learn about aliens from life at Earth’s extremes.

Asking all the important questions, answering some and explaining why others need further investigation, Aliens and Other Worlds explores the mystery of life beyond Earth. With illustrations by acclaimed artist Tracie Grimwood, this mysterious, awe-inspiring journey will thrill anyone with eyes fixed on distant horizons.

The author is a presenter alongside Professor Brian Cox on ABC TV’s Stargazing Live. Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa.harveysmith/

Follow the illustrator on Instagram:

Ada Twist, Scientist: Why Files #1: Exploring Flight! – The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty & Dr Theanne Griffith ill. David Roberts

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 13 Jan 2022

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A new addition to the Questioneers series, a full-color nonfiction early reader series based on the new Ada Twist, Scientist Netflix series!

Why do airplanes look the way they do? Why can’t birds fly when they’re first born? And why do some paper planes fly farther than others? Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Discover everything there is to know about flight from Ada Twist, Scientist-from information about creatures that fly, to the history of aircrafts, to modern technology that allows us to soar through the air faster than ever!

Based on the bestselling series and the new Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the young scientists of tomorrow.

Follow David Roberts (he’s an amazing illustrator) on Instagram:

Dear Treefrog by Joyce Sidman ill. Diana Sudyka

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 30 Jun 2021

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“The language in these poems is simple but not ­simplistic: “I hope you are / somewhere / safe / ­Treefrog // holding on tight / with those grippy toes / riding your / snug saddle of leaves.” Each entry crafts a single episode; together the poems construct a clear narrative arc. Appended with a four-part discussion, nicely organized with pertinent headings, about treefrogs and their survival. Altogether lovely.” Horn Book
“Sudyka’s bold lines and vivid watercolor palette paint an immersive, verdant world, with occasional color pops. Whimsical flourishes often blur the child’s real and imaginary worlds while concealed in the illustrations are names of birds, bugs, flowers, and more for young scientists to discover.” KIRKUS
“This artful picture book seamlessly blends science, poetry, and mindfulness, encouraging little ones to get outside, slow down, and look closely at what’s around them.” Booklist

When a shy girl moves to a strange new home, she discovers a treefrog perched in a secret spot nearby and learns that sometimes all it takes to connect with the people and the world around us is a little patience, a curious mind, and a willingness to see the world through a different perspective than your own.

With beautiful gouache illustrations by Diana Sudyka and magical, perceptive poems from Newbery Honor winning author Joyce Sidman, the lives of tree frog and girl converge

The Newbery Honor winner and Sibert Medalist Joyce Sidman is one of America’s foremost nature poets for children. Accolades for her books include two Caldecott Honors, a Lee Bennet Hopkins Award, winner of the Claudia Lews Award, and many stars and best of lists. For her award-winning body of work, she won the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. She lives in Wayzata, Minnesota.
Diana Sudyka‘s paintings are largely informed by a deep passion for the natural world. She has illustrated several volumes of the award-winning book series The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart  as well as the picture books like What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyaviary/
Follow the author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joycesidman/

“When I discovered gray treefrogs in my yard, I became obsessed with finding and taking pictures of them. I didn’t end up using photos in my book, but the act of seeking them out and capturing them digitally helped me study their habits and understand them.” Joyce Sidman

Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small by Dr. Jess Wade ill. Melissa Castrillon

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 24 Jun 2021

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“We need more beautifully illustrated and involving non-fiction like this. Wade and Castrillon introduce nanoscience with perfect clarity and inviting pictures.” Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times
“Written by a highly skilled physicist with beautiful art from Castrillon.” Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
“Another beautiful picture book for five-plus, plunging deep into the world of atoms, materials applications of nanoscience, with accessible text and richly shaded pictures.” The Guardian
“A notable addition to scientific non-fiction books for young children. Nano succeeds in making a complex area of science inviting, by being immensely accessible and attractive to the general reader.” BfK

Everything is made from something – but the way we make things, from the materials we use to the science and technology involved, is changing fast. Nano offers a fascinating narrative introduction to this cutting-edge area of STEM, better known by the name “nanotechnology”.

With words by Dr Jess Wade – a highly skilled physicist and trailblazing campaigner for diversity in STEM fields – and beautiful, dynamic pictures by award-winning artist Melissa Castrillon, this is the perfect book for budding young scientists and engineers.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa.castrillon/

A taste of the author’s infectious enthusiasm for science:

Etty Darwin And The Four Pebble Problem by Lauren Soloy

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 May 2021

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Lush, layered illustrations give a sense of the Victorian era while they capture a realistic natural landscape with forays into fantasy, Etty always at its center; a spread featuring yellow butterflies is particularly dazzling. Etty’s heavy brows and quizzical expressions show a girl unconcerned with looking pretty, deep in thought and an intrinsic part of the flora and fauna that surround both her father and herself. The two White characters are joined by Polly the dog, a detail sure to appeal. An excellent introduction to the natural sciences, Darwin, fairies, and inquiry, sure to inspire and fascinate young readers and listeners. Scientific investigation meets magic in this glowing selection.
KIRKUS

Etty Darwin and her famous father go for a walk to ponder life, science . . . and fairies! Inspired by the real-life daughter of Charles Darwin.

Etty loves make-believe.
Her dad loves science.
Etty believes in fairies.
Her dad would need to see some proof that they exist.
But they both love nature, conversation and each other.

A gorgeous rumination on belief and imagination featuring Henrietta (Etty) Darwin and her famous father, Charles. Etty went on to become a valued and keen editor of Charles’s work and a thoughtful and intellectual being in her own right. This imagined conversation between Etty and Charles as they stroll around Charles’s real-life “thinking track” explores their close relationship and shows that even science is nothing without an open mind and imagination.

Follow Lauren Soloy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurensoloy/

The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe by Sandra Nickel ill. Aimee Sicuro

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ACHUKA Book of the day 22 Mar 2021

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“Several Rubin quotes are included, and a lovely Rubin epigraph concludes the book. Numerous delicate illustrations aptly feature dark blue, star-spangled, galactic backgrounds.” KIRKUS
“Whether representing Rubin’s thoughts or a winter snowstorm, striking watercolors repeat concentric circles and curves, suggesting images of swirling galaxies, the very subject that prompts Rubin’s work. Sicuro solves the problem of depicting dark matter by gloriously representing it as if seen through a spectrometer, like “glitter caught in an invisible halo.” Appended with an author’s note, documentation of direct quotes, a timeline of Rubin’s life, and a bibliography.” Horn Book

A  biographical picture book telling the story of a female astronomer who made huge discoveries about the mysteries of the night sky and changed the way we look at the universe.

Vera Rubin was one of the astronomers who discovered and named dark matter, the thing that keeps the universe hanging together. Throughout her career she was never taken seriously as a scientist because she was one of the only female astronomers at that time, but she didn’t let that stop her. She made groundbreaking and incredibly significant discoveries that scientists have only recently been able to really appreciate-and she changed the way that we look at the universe. A stunning portrait of a little-known trailblazer, the picture book tells Vera’s story and inspires the youngest readers who are just starting to look up at the stars.

 

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Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimeesicuro/

Space Oddity by Christopher Edge ill. Ben Mantle

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5 STAR BfK review

Science and laughs combine in this out-of-this-world adventure, featuring illustrations by Ben Mantle!

You might think that this story is going to be an intergalactic adventure filled with UFOs, black holes, killer robots and some very foul-smelling aliens. And you’d be right. But it’s mostly about a boy called Jake, his embarrassing dad, and the mind-boggling question… are we really alone in the universe?

The Snail with the Right Heart: A True Story by Maria Popova ill. Ping Zhu

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Based on a real scientific event and inspired by a beloved real human in the author’s life, this is a story about science and the poetry of existence; about time and chance, genetics and gender, love and death, evolution and infinity – concepts often too abstract for the human mind to fathom, often more accessible to the young imagination; concepts made fathomable in the concrete, finite life of one tiny, unusual creature dwelling in a pile of compost amid an English garden. Emerging from this singular life is a lyrical universal invitation not to mistake difference for defect and to welcome, across the accordion scales of time and space, diversity as the wellspring of the universe’s beauty and resilience.

Follow Ping Zhu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pingszoo/

Exploring the Elements: A Complete Guide to the Periodic Table ill. Sara Gillingham written by Isabel Thomas

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 1 Dec 2020

“This comprehensive, deeply informative educational resource doubles as an arty coffee-table book, the kind science-minded readers and fact-finders love to pore over. Its design motif of bright neon-hued icons against a night-black background had me fantasizing that the illustrator, Sara Gillingham, had included in her palette rubidium, strontium and barium salts, which the author, Isabel Thomas, tells us are sometimes used in the creation of violet, red and green fireworks, respectively. The reverse side of the book’s jacket features an equally stunning periodic table that can be removed and tacked to a bulletin board or hung on a wall.” Jennifer Krauss NEW YORK TIMES

A graphically stunning, comprehensive introduction to the chemical elements that make up our universe for ages 8-14.

This artful and accessible guide to the periodic table – the ultimate reference tool for scientists worldwide – names all 118 chemical elements and helps young readers understand the remarkable ways we have learned to use them. Stunning layouts feature each element’s letter symbol and atomic number, exploring its attributes, characteristics, uses, and interesting stories behind its discovery. Complete with a comprehensive introduction, conclusion, and glossary, this is the perfect introduction to chemistry for inquisitive minds.

Wrapped in a double-sided jacket, with the illustrated periodic table printed on the underside, Exploring the Elements is jam-packed with 240 pages of information.

Follow Sara Gillingham on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saragillinghamstudio/

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