Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos

by Stephanie Roth Sisson

Overview

For every child who has ever looked up at the stars and asked, "What are they?" comes the story of a curious boy who never stopped wondering: Carl Sagan.

When Carl Sagan was a young boy he went to the 1939 World's Fair and his life was changed forever. From that day on he never stopped marveling at the universe and seeking to understand it better. Star Stuff follows Carl from his days star gazing from the bedroom window of his Brooklyn apartment, through his love of speculative science fiction novels, to his work as an internationally renowned scientist who worked on the Voyager missions exploring the farthest reaches of space. This book introduces the beloved man who brought the mystery of the cosmos into homes across America to a new generation of dreamers and star gazers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596439603
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	10/14/2014
Pages:	42
Sales rank:	540,447
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Roth Sisson is an artist who has illustrated many books for children, most recently the Princess Posey chapter book series. Star Stuff is the first picture book that she has both written and illustrated. She lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

10/20/2014
Sisson’s loosely sketched mixed-media illustrations trace the life of Carl Sagan, beginning with his childhood spent in Brooklyn, an environment seemingly ill-suited to learning about the stars. Yet thanks to his natural curiosity, a visit to the World’s Fair, and the library, Sagan’s awareness of science and the universe grew. The book does, too—a spread depicting the hazy sun over Brooklyn rooftops unfolds to show it in space (“Our sun is a big ball of fiery gas held together by gravity,” Sagan learns). Sisson goes on to recap Sagan’s later endeavors, including becoming an astrophysicist, appearing on TV, and sending messages into via the twin Voyagers. A broader message about the role wonder plays in innovation resonates throughout this story, which concludes with extensive biographical and source notes. Ages 4–8. Agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

*Beginning with the first page, Sisson introduces the magnitude of the universe, visually presenting the Milky Way and our sun's place in it.” —The Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

“Carl Sagan is best known for being a renowned expert on the cosmos, but he started out as just a curious kid fascinated with the night sky, and that's where Sisson starts this picture-book biography.” —Booklist

“*Sisson's economical narrative and lighthearted illustrations convey Sagan's regard for the power of imagination and his generous approach to knowledge . . . Both friendly and inspiring.” —KIRKUS, STARRED REVIEW

“*Told in narrative format, this beautifully designed and illustrated picture book gives readers a glimpse into the childhood wonderings Sagan experienced as he looked at the night sky and imagined possibilities . . . A gorgeous, informative offering for biography and science collections.” —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“*A broader message about the role wonder plays in innovation resonates throughout this story.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

★ 09/01/2014
Gr 1–3—Told in narrative format, this beautifully designed and illustrated picture book gives readers a glimpse into the childhood wonderings Sagan experienced as he looked at the night sky and imagined the possibilities. The images are wonderfully childlike, many appearing to be chalk on a dark, night sky background. The simple but lyrical text ("Carl thought about the stars hanging down like bulbs on long black wires") conveys a dreamy, wistful quality, and the comic book–style panels and speech bubbles will keep kids intrigued as Sisson takes Sagan from an inquisitive boy to a scientist working in the field of astronomy. One particularly magnificent page should elicit gasps of awe from readers. It folds out to create a marvelous expanse that extends from a library room, where young Sagan is poring over a book about the solar system, up though the city landscape and ever upward toward the sun. Children will easily relate to and may even see themselves in Sagan's youthful exuberance. Detailed notes illustrate the solid research and facts behind the narrative. A gorgeous, informative offering for biography and science collections.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

School Library Journal

★ 2014-09-14
Young Carl Sagan looks endearingly like his grown-up self, with expressive dark eyebrows and a cheerful look of inquiry, in this warm account of the life of the notable scientist. Sisson captures an important moment in young Sagan's life. In a library, where he has been handed a book on stars, "Carl's heart beat faster with every page he turned." The next double-page spread offers a vertical orientation and a gatefold opening skyward, as if Carl himself were soaring into space. He imagines extraterrestrial life and space travel among the planets—and though he can't wish himself to Mars, he finds a way to get there in spirit. The text sums this up with brevity: "He studied life and space and became… / …Dr. Carl Sagan." Sisson's economical narrative and lighthearted illustrations convey Sagan's regard for the power of imagination and his generous approach to knowledge. She includes the accomplishments for which Sagan will be remembered: his passion for science and space discovery that he shared with the world through his television appearances and the creation and launching of space missions—in particular the Voyager probes, with their recordings of Earth sounds and sights. Abundant backmatter (oddly missing Sagan's birth date) is compactly delivered in a two-page spread with a list of quotations and sources, a bibliography/resource list and an author's note. Both friendly and inspiring—just like its subject. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews