Elem. – Your Place in the Universe

Chin, Jason. Your Place in the Universe. Holiday House, 2020. 978-0-9234-4623-0. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 1-3.

At eight years old, some kids might feel like the center of the universe, or like everything revolves around them! It may seem true, until you change the perspective and compare some sizes of things earthly and extraterrestrial leading all the way out beyond the Milky Way! Jason Chin does an excellent job of casting some comparative scale in his newest nonfiction narrative text with stunning visuals which continuously expand to show the vastness of the universe. Then he pulls it back to those children to help them realize the universal truth that they too will make their own way and keep a sense of wonder along the way.

THOUGHTS: There are other titles that could partner with this book to show “our place in space” and lead to size and distance lessons galore. Curious minds will also read the endnotes and captions to go further and wonder more. Recommended.

530 Space          Dustin Brackbill, State College Area SD