One of the many things, which makes living in the middle of nowhere wonderful, is the clarity of the night sky. In winter, it's especially beautiful to see the edge of the milky way and the insane amount of tiny dots, which fill just the tiny section we can see. Today's read may not be about star-gazing, but it reaches into the vast universe and the travels of a tiny spaceman. I'm excited to see what this book is about because I've already heard great things about this author.
THE SPACEMAN
by Randy Cecil
Candlewick Press
Picture Book
40 pages
ages 4 to 8
COMING...
APRIL 2nd, 2024!!!
Lovingly illustrated, this wry and gentle fantasy will speak to adults as well as children—and cast the familiar in an astonishing new light.
A tiny Spaceman arrives on a new planet, ready to perform his monotonous tasks—collecting samples, labeling and filing them, and moving on to the next planet. But pausing to look around, the Spaceman is dazzled by the beauty of his surroundings. And when a large bird makes off with his ship, he’s forced to venture out into this new world—planet Earth—on foot. Marveling at a varied landscape of flowers, butterflies, and other wondrous creatures, he finds a pond to float in and a goofy, slobbery beast who seems to want to be his friend. Could it be that the Spaceman has found a new home? This simple and sophisticated story filled with deadpan humor offers surprises on each lively spread. From a veteran creator comes a delightfully droll story radiating warmth and the wonder of the new, reminding us to look up from our mundane lives and embrace discovery.
A tiny Spaceman arrives on a new planet, ready to perform his monotonous tasks—collecting samples, labeling and filing them, and moving on to the next planet. But pausing to look around, the Spaceman is dazzled by the beauty of his surroundings. And when a large bird makes off with his ship, he’s forced to venture out into this new world—planet Earth—on foot. Marveling at a varied landscape of flowers, butterflies, and other wondrous creatures, he finds a pond to float in and a goofy, slobbery beast who seems to want to be his friend. Could it be that the Spaceman has found a new home? This simple and sophisticated story filled with deadpan humor offers surprises on each lively spread. From a veteran creator comes a delightfully droll story radiating warmth and the wonder of the new, reminding us to look up from our mundane lives and embrace discovery.
MY TIDBITS
The wonders of space zooms down into the awesomeness of life through the eyes of a small spaceman.
The tiny spaceman spends his time traveling through the universe to collect soil and surface samples form various planets. He leaves his little space ship, collects a sample, and off he goes again. It might seem mundane, but every now and then, he sees something special.
This is one of those wonderful picture books, which masterfully balances illustrations and text to let the combination perform its magic. While the short text makes a nice read-aloud or reading exercise for those more sure of their words, it also gives just the right amount of setting and happenings to keep the reader on top of the story. The illustrations carry the rest as they follow the tiny spaceman on his adventure and add the emotions and small details, which make things really hit home.
The tiny spaceman doesn't seem tiny, at first, but his true size slowly becomes clear, and this adds a bit of tension even when none is apparent. The reader is lead to let their own experiences and realizations seep in as they watch the spaceman explore the new surroundings...which won't be so 'new' to the reader. This also allows the reader to understand the spaceman's thoughts on the surroundings and helps to see the word through new eyes. The tale leaves with a warm and content message, which will have readers viewing things slightly differently.
It's a cute, simple read with quite a bit of impact, and that in a very positive way.
And here he is...
Randy Cecil has illustrated more than twenty books for children, including Brontorina by James Howe, And Here’s to You! by David Elliott, and Lovabye Dragon by Barbara Joosse. He is also the author-illustrator of Duck and Gator. Randy Cecil lives in Houston.
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