Astronauts Zoom!: An Astronaut Alphabet

by Deborah Rose

Overview

Winner of the 2021 DeBary's Children's Science Book Award!

Chosen for the 2023 Story Time From Space program launched with NASA Crew 6 to the International Space Station to be filmed and read by a real life astronaut to children around the world!

"A fizzy mix of space fun and science!" —KIRKUS REVIEWS

From A to Z, “you are there” NASA photos capture real women and men astronauts on the International Space Station doing all kinds of work—and having fun! Diverse astronauts from around the world include NASA’S first all-woman spacewalk team and the first African American astronaut on a 6-month mission to the space station.

With STEM-rich text and action words, ASTRONAUTS ZOOM! gives kids a space-eye view from the time astronauts awake till they’re zipped in for the night. Kids will also discover how astronauts practice on Earth, getting dressed in spacesuits and “spacewalking” in NASA’s training pool. Lots of hands-on STEAM ideas are included—like exploring science and engineering activities, making videos “from space,” even throwing a space pizza party!

20 YEARS OF ASTRONAUTS ON THE SPACE STATION!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943978656
Publisher:	WunderMill Publishing Group, Inc.
Publication date:	10/10/2023
Pages:	36
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 10.94(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 7 Years

About the Author

Deborah Lee Rose is the internationally published author of Scientists Get Dressed, winner of the national DeBary Award for Outstanding Science Books for Children, and coauthor of Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle, winner of the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books and the Bank Street College Cook Prize for Best STEM Picture Book (both published by Persnickety Press/WunderMill Books). She is also the author of the beloved books Jimmy the Joey, The Twelve Days of Kindergarten, The Twelve Days of Winter, and Into the A, B, Sea: An Ocean Alphabet which has sold more than a quarter million copies. Her books have been included in major language arts collections and reading curricula, and published in multiple languages. Deborah was senior science writer for UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science, where she worked on many groundbreaking STEM education projects, including several funded by NASA. She directed communications for the ALA/AASL honored, NSF-funded STEM education website howtosmile.org. Deborah lives in Silver Spring, MD and speaks at conferences, public book events, schools and libraries across the country. www.deborahleerose.com

Editorial Reviews

"An alphabet of activities inside and outside the International Space Station. In big, bright photographs, a cast of astronauts—nearly half women, and diverse of race and national origin...a high-spirited picture of daily life in low-Earth orbit. A fizzy mix of space fun and scienceA fizzy mix of space fun and science!" —KIRKUS REVIEWS

"A wonderful opportunity for the youngest readers to develop verbal language with featured astronauts of many races and backgrounds. A strong introduction to space travel...a good choice for lower elementary libraries." — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

”A delightful book with great photographs showing how we live in Earth orbit to inspire the next generation of space explorers and workers. Parents will enjoy the book as much as their children will!” — Astronaut Jay Apt, Space Shuttle STS-37, 47, 59, 79

“A unique ABC book with cool space photos—a winning combination that inspires kids to learn NEW information about what real astronauts do!”—Lori Oczkus, national literacy expert and author.

From the Publisher

09/01/2020

PreS-Gr 1—This picture book offers a wonderful opportunity for the youngest readers to develop verbal language. Plentiful photographs depict astronauts aboard a space station conducting a variety of tasks, which will allow early language learners to ask questions and engage in discussion. Each page contains a different letter showcasing various activities. Some tasks are serious and some are scientific; some are funny and some are surprising, like astronauts playing guitars in space. The featured astronauts include men and women and showcase individuals of many races and backgrounds. The language is simple enough to keep the youngest readers interested, but the engaging vocabulary will help facilitate language development. The author's notes also provide additional information. This title could be a strong introduction to space travel or serve as a mentor text for young writers to create their own ABC book. VERDICT A good choice for lower elementary libraries. Children will enjoy learning about astronauts to practice their language skills.—Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elem., FL

School Library Journal

2020-07-14
An alphabet of activities inside and outside the International Space Station.

In big, bright photographs, a cast of astronauts—39 all told, identified at the end, nearly half women, and diverse of race and national origin— “awake,” “brush” their teeth, and then go about their business until it’s time to be “zipped in for the night.” That business has a distinctly playful cast, as glimpses of astronauts exercising, using scientific instruments, or floating out in space are interspersed with views of one juggling 16 pieces of fruit, another giving a soccer ball a kick that sends him head over heels, two playing guitars, three sitting around a table with floating pizzas, and other signs that it’s not all noses to the grindstone all the time. Big letters that look a bit like refrigerator magnets accompany each photo, set against contrasting backgrounds. Despite this, the alphabetic bit is really just a pretext, as closing notes explaining the tasks and instruments on display, an illustrated appendix about astronaut training, and a final list of home or classroom enrichment activities confirm. Everyone in sight is plainly having a grand time, though, so the pedagogical ballast puts no heavy load on a high-spirited picture of daily life in low-Earth orbit. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 68% of actual size.)

A fizzy mix of space fun and science. (Informational picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews