I have SO many books to share that I need to start talking about more than one at a time!
themes: nonfiction, scientists, ecology
Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites
by Sandra Neil Wallace; illus. by Nancy Carpenter
48 pages; ages 5-9
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books. 2025
Ursula grew up in a small Vermont village with big mountains to explore. They wrapped around her house like a crescent moon.
During the winter, Ursula loved skiing by moonlight. In the summer, she helped collect potato beetles with her father, the state’s entomologist. But Ursula wanted to be an explorer, not a scientist. Until… she looked at a rock under a microscope.
Despite being discouraged by professors, Ursula went on to study geology. She got so good at recognizing minerals, that she became one of the first geologists to study the rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the moon. She studied bits of meteorites, too – an interest that led her to Antarctica.
What I like about this book: It’s a polar adventure and a story of discovery of a bit of the moon that landed on earth. Lots of kids dream of being an explorer – so reading about a real expedition to Antarctica to look for meteorites might be the perfect story. Back matter includes more about Ursula, facts about Antarctica, and a timeline of Ursula’s life and discoveries. I especially like that the author, Sandra, talks about the research she did to bring this story to the page.
The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story
by Kirbi Fagan
32 pages; ages 5-10
Millbrook Press, 2025
People passing by call this land the big empty. But I call it home.
In spare and poetic text, accompanied by lush paintings, Kirbi Fagan reveals the secrets of the shrubby desert.
What I like about this book: I grew up in the land of sagebrush and never thought about the desert from the sagebrush’s point of view. But that’s exactly what this book does. Back matter explains more about the sagebrush (there’s more than one kind!) and highlights a handful of animals inhabiting the western shrublands. This book might make you want to pack a tent and a few gallons of water and head out to sleep with the sage. Where, if you are lucky, you may see meteorites streak across the sky at night.
Beyond the Books:
Meet two scientists who work with moon rocks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcvqhhCYzAo
Explore like a scientist. If you like rocks, use a magnifying lens to look closely at a rock in your environment. If you like plants, take a close look at a shrub or (if you’re lucky and have one) sagebrush. Draw pictures of what you see and make a list of words that describe what you’re looking at..
Tell a story about a place from the point of view of something found in that environment: a rock or mountain, a plant or animal… or even something falling from the sky and landing there.
Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers and Blue Slip media (Rock Star)
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