Little black hole

Molly Webster

Book - 2023

"There once was a little black hole who loved her universe, and especially her friends: the stars and the planets, the space rocks and the space fox, even the flying astronauts. She loved to play and laugh with them as they soared through the galaxy. That is, until they disappeared--which was always what happened. The little black hole felt all alone. But when she meets a big black hole and shares her worries, the big black hole knows just how to help! And the little black hole finds out that she has the power to find her friends, wherever she goes"--

Saved in:

Children's Room Show me where

jE/Webster
2 / 2 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room jE/Webster Checked In
Children's Room jE/Webster Checked In
Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
New York : Philomel 2023.
Language
English
Main Author
Molly Webster (author)
Other Authors
Alex Willmore (illustrator)
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 27 cm
Audience
AD630L
ISBN
9780593464755
Contents unavailable.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

In science journalist Webster's debut picture book, a lonely little black hole gets some comforting advice. Worried that whenever she makes a friend, they disappear, a personified black hole is reassured by a larger one that she carries her friends with her--literally and metaphorically. Indeed, when she thinks about her friends, they reappear in the glow of her memories. Working from Stephen Hawking's theories about black hole radiation and scientific speculation that the emitted particles could reveal something about what's inside, Webster has concocted a fanciful story of friendship and loss, though the actual scientific hypothesis ("a black hole might be burping out teeny tiny bits of matter," and together these particles "give off a very faint light. A glow!"), described in the backmatter, will require more background to understand. The appearance of a space fox among the stars, planets, space rocks, and suited astronauts reminds young readers that this is fantasy. The straightforward text is set in white on the black background of the universe. But Willmore's expressive illustrations show a universe that also has lively color--brightly hued planets, the iridescent streak of a visiting star and a comet, and clouds of color trailing from the little black hole herself, showing her excitement at meeting another like her. Her final "glow," in shades of purple, blue, turquoise, and orange, is splendid. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet friendship story with a science twist. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.