Letters from Space

by Clayton Anderson (Author) Susan Batori (Illustrator)

Letters from Space
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Astronaut Clayton Anderson spent 152 days in space aboard the International Space Station--and while he didn't mail dozens of letters back to Earth (they would have burned up on reentry!), imagine if he did! These letters from space are full of weird science, wild facts, and outrageous true stories from life in space, complete with hysterical illustrations from Susan Batori. Backmatter includes even more interesting information on space, astronauts, and living among the stars.
Select format:
Hardcover
$16.99

Kirkus

A tantalizing taste of the (literally) high life.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

PreS-Gr 3--The author draws from his personal experience in this humorous look at the practical considerations of space flight, using a series of letters with family and friends to relate activities in a timeline for his five months aboard the International Space Station. The nonsense begins in the digitally painted cartoon illustrations on the title page as an alien gathers the mail. The rocket launches and glasses, socks, and part of lunch float effortlessly by while Astronaut Anderson, who is white with a pink nose, calmly and factually explains why fluid rushing to his head makes him look like a bobblehead during weightlessness. Each page highlights a letter--the astronaut, whose commander is Black, begins a dialogue with Mission Control on the topic of how long to wear underwear, answers the question of whether pets belong in space, projects targets for "Crew Earth Observations" photography, and chats easily about his seven hours of a working spacewalk and how it felt afterward. He also discusses spacesuits, weightless mistakes, lunchtime in space, the mysterious loss of his special red marker, how it feels to fly like Superman, growing plants in space, and feeling ready to return home. VERDICT With a final page of facts about NASA, astronauts, and living in space, this must-purchase entertains with a combination of zany art, humor, and solid facts for fascinated young readers craving space travel--even the armchair kind.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano I.S.D., TX

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781534110748
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date
September 15, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV036010 - Juvenile Fiction | Technology | Astronauts & Space
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Letters
Astronauts
International Space Station

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