Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastuchiv illustrated by Susanna Chapman

It is difficult to explain the delight I feel when I open a book and see glorious end papers. In this book they are decorated with sea creatures, seaweed fragments, and tiny plant treasures. I completely agree with Kirkus who say: Astonishing artwork shines. Good news - later this year this book will be available in a paperback edition. 

Here is the opening sentence of Ada and the Galaxies:

"Ada loves the stars. But in New York, the city lights make the night sky too bright to see the stars."

So Ada and her parents take a trip to visit their grandfather who lives on an island in Maine. After a day filled with exploring the beach Ada waits for the night so she can finally see the stars in the night sky. I loved the way her grandfather used high tide as a way to show the passing of time from day to night. 

Publisher blurb: New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, brings galaxies close in a stunning picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child’s experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she’s most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns?

Here are some brief teaching ideas from Candlewick Press. You can see inside this book at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Read more about the background to this book here. 

Aimed at primary aged children, this picture book is a tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world, and to the precious gift of sharing experience and enthusiasm with those we love. Reading Time

This is a book to add to your school library collection but it also one that would be magical to share with just one or two children perhaps late at night and then you could all go outside and enjoy the spectacle of the night sky.