Out of This World: Star-Studded Haiku

by Sally M. Walker, Matthew Trueman (Illustrator)

Overview

This companion to Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up soars into space with a perfect fusion of poetry and science, accompanied by breathtaking illustrations.

one minuscule speck
grows into the universe
a mind-boggling birth

This stunning meeting of poetic form and luminous artwork transports us out of the bounds of Earth, past a lunar eclipse, beyond the orbiting planets, and into glowing galaxies and twinkling constellations. Sally M. Walker uses her award-winning skill as a writer of nonfiction to explore space through clever haiku, accompanied by narrative explanations of wonders that are out of this world. Illustrator Matthew Trueman imagines the explosive Big Bang and awe-inspiring meteor showers in spectacular views that no telescope could offer. Comprehensive, well-researched back matter further explores such topics as constellations and astronomers, the birth of the universe, stars, the solar system, moons and eclipses, asteroids, meteors, and comets, as well as a glossary of terms, a bibliography, and online resources for readers with an eye to what lies beyond Earth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536203561
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,116,472
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 9 Years

About the Author

Sally M. Walker is the award-winning author of more than sixty books for children, including the companion book Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up, illustrated by William Grill. She is also the author of Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home and Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree, an Orbis Pictus Honor Book. She says that researching and writing Boundaries: How the Mason-Dixon Line Settled a Family Feud and Divided a Nation led her to the amazing world of stars and outer space. Sally M. Walker lives in Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

The text blends scientific theory with a sense of awe. . . Walker’s spare and eloquent phrases are paired with Trueman’s (If You Take Away the Otter, rev. 5/20) spectacular mixed-media illustrations, completely filling each page with swirls, dots, colors, and darkness. . . . The blend of artistry and accurate, up-to date scientific information (including an appended glossary, further reading section, and online resources) makes this collection a must-have.
—The Horn Book (starred review)

This collection of haiku about outer space combines cleverly descriptive words with rich illustrations for an artistic and scientific look beyond our world. . . . The perspective of Trueman’s illustrations will make readers feel as if they are floating in the middle of the galaxy. . . creative, beautiful, and educational.
—School Library Journal

Walker’s intriguing, succinct haiku are accompanied by Trueman's stunning illustrations of celestial entities as they take the reader on a tour of the stars, planets, solar systems, and the natural beauty of outer space. . . . Whatever your favorite celestial body is, you’re bound to delight in Trueman’s vision of the comets, asteroids, planets, and universes, accompanied by Walker's thoughtful language and penchant for capturing humans' natural curiosity about outer space.
—Booklist

Trueman’s sweeping illustrations, many spanning two pages, emphasize the immensity of space. Swirling backgrounds layered with details—some realistic, some fanciful—invite readers to linger and wonder. . . An awe-inspiring intro to an immense subject of endless curiosity and imagination.
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

01/01/2022

Gr 5–8—This collection of haiku about outer space combines cleverly descriptive words with rich illustrations for an artistic and scientific look beyond our world. Walker's haiku endow scientific spaces with personality: "gaudy Milky Way/ spiral arms blossom outward/ galactic pinwheel." Pluto is described as resilient: "now a dwarf planet/ Pluto still circles the sun/ its heart unbroken." The moon is playful: "playing hide-and-seek/ the moon waits in Earth's shadow:/ "Try to find me, Sun.'" The perspective of Trueman's illustrations will make readers feel as if they are floating in the middle of the galaxy and can see the planets with their own eyes. Stars are described as "stellar infernos/ heat waves of radiant light/blazing energy." The words sit on a page swirling with yellows, reds, browns, and blacks. The palette consists largely of deep blues, textured grays, and dark reds that blend to create a soft effect. Back matter includes more information on the universe, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading. VERDICT This creative, beautiful, and educational book will find a home on library shelves. Purchase to bring more STEM to poetry collections.—Florence Simmons

School Library Journal

2022-05-11
A poetic tour of the galaxy.

Walker divides this book into seven broad categories, from “Constellations and Astronomers” to “Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors.” She begins by addressing humans’ long fascination with the sky, invoking three examples: the constellation Orion, Galileo, and the Hubble Space Telescope. From there, several spreads describe the beginning of the universe (“one minuscule speck / grows into the universe / a mind-boggling birth”), then stars (“distant candles flare / light glimmers through time and space / past becomes present”), the sun, moons, and eclipses, and more. Trueman’s sweeping illustrations, many spanning two pages, emphasize the immensity of space. Swirling backgrounds layered with details—some realistic, some fanciful—invite readers to linger and wonder much longer than it takes to read Walker’s spare verses. Walker is challenged by haiku’s strict structure and the immensity of the subject. Some poems read more smoothly than others; many use metaphors that may not have meaning for young readers unfamiliar with the science that inspires the verses, though the detailed backmatter offers information on the topics alluded to in the poems as well as a glossary, further reading, and online resources.(This book was reviewed digitally.)

An awe-inspiring intro to an immense subject of endless curiosity and imagination. (Picture-book poetry. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews