I'm a Neutrino: Tiny Particles in a Big Universe

by Eve M. Vavagiakis, Ilze Lemesis (Illustrator)

Overview

An accessible and visually arresting picture book about one of the universe's most mysterious particles for the youngest scientific minds

Before you finish reading this sentence, trillions upon trillions of neutrinos will have passed through your body. Not sure what a neutrino is? Get an up-close-and-personal introduction in this dazzling picture book from MIT Kids Press, told in lilting rhyme from the neutrino’s point of view and filled with mind-bending, full-bleed illustrations that swirl and splash the cosmos to life. Some of the smallest bits of matter known to exist—and they exist everywhere—neutrinos are inspiring cutting-edge and Nobel Prize–winning research. Here, playful text and watercolor illustrations blended with photographs distill the concept of these mysterious particles down to its essence. “Know Your Neutrinos” end notes provide context for each spread, amplifying the science and making complex astrophysics and physics concepts approachable. This indispensable STEM title urges children to dream of contributing their own discoveries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536222074
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/22/2022
Series:	Meet the Universe
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,101,608
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 9 Years

About the Author

Eve M. Vavagiakis holds a PhD in physics from Cornell University. A space enthusiast since childhood, she now works in experimental cosmology as part of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, CCAT-prime, CMB-S4, and Simons Observatory collaborations to build instrumentation and study the oldest light in the universe. She also codirects the high energy physics reader’s digest blog ParticleBites. Eve M. Vavagiakis lives in Ithaca, New York.

Ilze Lemesis is an artist and designer with a background in painting, advertising, Wall Street corporate communications, and international publishing. She has designed hundreds of higher education titles for major global companies and illustrated several books. She lives in Ithaca, New York.

Editorial Reviews

05/09/2022

The mother-daughter team behind this introduction to the neutrino—the most abundant of nature’s mass-possessing particles—invites budding physicists to help solve the mysteries of this fundamental building block. “I am a particle, like electrons and light./ I can pass through you without stopping my flight!” a neutrino narrates in spare rhyming verse, Vavagiakis’s personification imparting a user-friendly tone. Digitally rendered illustrations by Lemesis do the same, depicting stylized neutrinos as tiny, spiky-haired beings that dance across the swirls of a colorful cosmos or fly through a particle accelerator. Though some vocabulary initially used without definition (fermion, muon, tau) may confuse readers not yet in the know, helpful “Know Your Neutrinos” back matter expands upon each spread with accessible scientific detail. Unabashedly tackling a complex subject, this STEM read is sure to inspire curiosity. Ages 7–9. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

05/27/2022

Gr 1–5—This book tackles a huge topic about the tiny particles that zoom all around us. Neutrinos are mysterious particles that have been around since the beginning of time. The narrator, a neutrino, unravels some of the secrets these specks hold. Neutrino describes how they are similar to electrons, but without an electrical charge. In addition to science content, the math concept of exponents is mentioned when Neutrino explains how light the particles are. The text is straightforward, allowing young readers to start to grasp a difficult scientific concept. However, some of the vocabulary is challenging. Vavagiakis includes a noteworthy appendix with additional information about neutrinos, including links to several additional resources for further exploration. The illustrations are awash with beautiful blues, oranges, and other hues; the illustrator creates whimsical neutrinos that bounce from page to page. It's an ambitious science topic simplified to a level many will be able to handle. VERDICT If your shelves are in need of particle science this might be a nice addition, although the concept is very abstract and will probably need further explanation by additional sources.—Erin Olsen

School Library Journal

2022-01-12
The mysteries of a neutrino unfold!

This rhyming tale with minimal text offers a whimsical initiation into the wonders and features of a neutrino particle. Young readers will learn about the traits of neutrinos—charge, mass, weight, flavors, movements, and origins—and their significance. Ethereal digital illustrations with comical touches portray neutrinos from micro and macro perspectives and conjure up awe-inspiring images of outer space. Children and scientists of various races and genders are shown studying neutrinos; one double-page spread depicts the interior of a neutrino detector. Although the rhymes are sometimes wobbly and skew young, the text provides a solid foundation from which to launch deeper explorations of the subject matter. Not all youngsters will be developmentally ready to digest and comprehend the ideas presented, but precocious young scientists will doubtlessly benefit. The information and concepts are rather abstract, and not much explanation or detail is provided in the main text (“I am a fermion that can hardly be traced. I come in flavors but not ones you can taste”), but the backmatter provides more specifics and expounds upon unfamiliar terminology. Overall, this book would be a helpful addition to any science collection, though it’s best suited for more mature young readers.

A poetic, gently humorous introduction to the world of neutrino physics. (further reading) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"A whimsical initiation into the wonders and features of a neutrino particle. . . Ethereal digital illustrations with comical touches portray neutrinos from micro and macro perspectives and conjure up awe-inspiring images of outer space. . . . A poetic, gently humorous introduction to the world of neutrino physics.

—Kirkus Reviews

The illustrations depict children and adults of different genders and races; these fun visuals effectively depict the wonder and mysteriousness of this tiny particle. Kids who are curious about science will find this book an accessible and appealing entry point.

—Booklist

MIT Kids Press is here to educate kids on neutrinos! Told with fun rhythmic prose and adorable illustrations, little scientists will learn the ins and outs of this elusive element, along with a fun "Know Your Neutrinos" cheat sheet at the end of the book.
—Tiny Beans

The mother-daughter team behind this introduction to the neutrino—the most abundant of nature’s mass-possessing particles—invites budding physicists to help solve the mysteries of this fundamental building block. . . . “Know Your Neutrinos” back matter expands upon each spread with accessible scientific detail. Unabashedly tackling a complex subject, this STEM read is sure to inspire curiosity.
—Publishers Weekly

Dynamic.
—The Virginian Pilot

The illustrations are awash with beautiful blues, oranges, and other hues; the illustrator creates whimsical neutrinos that bounce from page to page. . . an ambitious science topic simplified to a level many will be able to handle.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher