Review by Booklist Review
Walker returns with a companion to her more grounded haiku book, Earth Verse (2018), this time to explore the infinite possibilities of poetry in space and beyond the known universe. Walker's intriguing, succinct haiku are accompanied by Trueman's stunning illustrations of celestial entities as they take the reader on a tour of the stars, planets, solar systems, and the natural beauty of outer space. While the text and illustrations portray more creative renderings than any science textbook can truly capture, the book's back matter does contain scientific explanations, resources, and a glossary for those readers who might be curious about outer-space facts. While the haiku are remarkable, the real showstopper here is Trueman's work, which could fully support a wordless picture book. Whatever your favorite celestial body is, you're bound to delight in Trueman's vision of the comets, asteroids, planets, and universes, accompanied by Walker's thoughtful language and penchant for capturing humans' natural curiosity about outer space.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--8--This collection of haiku about outer space combines cleverly descriptive words with rich illustrations for an artistic and scientific look beyond our world. Walker's haiku endow scientific spaces with personality: "gaudy Milky Way/ spiral arms blossom outward/ galactic pinwheel." Pluto is described as resilient: "now a dwarf planet/ Pluto still circles the sun/ its heart unbroken." The moon is playful: "playing hide-and-seek/ the moon waits in Earth's shadow:/ "Try to find me, Sun.'" The perspective of Trueman's illustrations will make readers feel as if they are floating in the middle of the galaxy and can see the planets with their own eyes. Stars are described as "stellar infernos/ heat waves of radiant light/blazing energy." The words sit on a page swirling with yellows, reds, browns, and blacks. The palette consists largely of deep blues, textured grays, and dark reds that blend to create a soft effect. Back matter includes more information on the universe, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading. VERDICT This creative, beautiful, and educational book will find a home on library shelves. Purchase to bring more STEM to poetry collections.--Florence Simmons
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Review by Horn Book Review
The huge expanse of space and its mind-blowing wonders are crystalized by Walker (Earth Verse, rev. 1/18) into seventeen precise syllables making up each of thirty-two haiku. She begins with the most familiar of constellations: "three stars in a row / Orion fastens his belt / ready for the hunt." The haiku are divided into sections such as "Constellations and Astronomers," "The Universe Begins," "The Sun," and so on, with an extensive author's note at the end using the same categories to explain more of the science behind each poem. The text blends scientific theory with a sense of awe, as in this entry in the "Stars" section: "distant candles flare / light glimmers through time and space / past becomes present." Walker's spare and eloquent phrases are paired with Trueman's (If You Take Away the Otter, rev. 5/20) spectacular mixed-media illustrations, completely filling each page with swirls, dots, colors, and darkness. When portraying earthly advancements, such as the Hubble telescope, he uses a more realistic technique; when trying to convey the Big Bang ("one minuscule speck"), he shows a white dot encircled by light against shades of gray and black, and "gaudy Milky Way" appears in pastel yellows, blues, and pinks in a swirl. The blend of artistry and accurate, up-to-date scientific information (including an appended glossary, further reading section, and online resources) makes this collection a must-have. Susan Dove Lempke May/June 2022 p.158(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A poetic tour of the galaxy. Walker divides this book into seven broad categories, from "Constellations and Astronomers" to "Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors." She begins by addressing humans' long fascination with the sky, invoking three examples: the constellation Orion, Galileo, and the Hubble Space Telescope. From there, several spreads describe the beginning of the universe ("one minuscule speck / grows into the universe / a mind-boggling birth"), then stars ("distant candles flare / light glimmers through time and space / past becomes present"), the sun, moons, and eclipses, and more. Trueman's sweeping illustrations, many spanning two pages, emphasize the immensity of space. Swirling backgrounds layered with details--some realistic, some fanciful--invite readers to linger and wonder much longer than it takes to read Walker's spare verses. Walker is challenged by haiku's strict structure and the immensity of the subject. Some poems read more smoothly than others; many use metaphors that may not have meaning for young readers unfamiliar with the science that inspires the verses, though the detailed backmatter offers information on the topics alluded to in the poems as well as a glossary, further reading, and online resources. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An awe-inspiring intro to an immense subject of endless curiosity and imagination. (Picture-book poetry. 8-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
