Sometimes the moon and the stars align when I’m determining which book to feature as a Perfect Picture Book. As you’ll read below, this was one of those times.
Title: In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa
Written By: Ada Limón
Illustrated By: Peter Sís
Publisher/Date: Norton Young Readers/October 2024
Suitable for Ages: 4-8, and older
Themes/Topics: poetry, mystery, space, exploration
Opening:
Arching under the night sky inky
with black expansiveness, we point
to the planets we know, we
pin quick wishes on stars.
Brief Synopsis: A poem by the US Poet Laureate that is etched on NASA’s Europa Clipper, that is on a mission to visit Jupiter’s second moon.
Links to Resources:
- Learn about and view a video of the launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper.
- Participate in NASA’s Space Place Art Challenge;
- Discover the signs of the Zodiac;
- Take a walk in the woods or along a river or stream; bundle up and gaze at the night sky – what mysteries can you discover?
Why I Like this Book:
I’ve had this new picture book on my radar since I first learned of it. I follow Sís’ work, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating this latest endeavor. Fortuitously, I was in New York City this week and discovered a signed copy of In Praise of Mystery at Books of Wonder – a mecca for lovers of children’s literature. Imagine my surprise that evening when I saw that the Europa Clipper started its journey that same day! This post was meant to be!
Although Limón penned this poem at NASA’s request and for all ages, so many of the images she evokes will appeal to children. What child hasn’t wished upon a star or blown dandelion seeds into the wind, hoping for a specific outcome? With their attention to small details, children “are creatures of constant awe”. They also seek what unites us – in this case the water found on Jupiter’s far-away second moon and within each of us.
In this marriage of text and image, Sís expands on Limón’s text by depicting the constellations our forebears named, by incorporating celestial maps, and by including backgrounds that invite readers to explore them. And to ensure that the littlest listeners see themselves in Limón’s words, Sís includes a child in a hot air balloon at the outset and that same child in her bedroom at the end.
Whatever your age, I highly recommend reading, and rereading, In Praise of Mystery, as you contemplate the mystery that surrounds us.
A Note about Craft:
Limón deftly moves between the vastness of space and the immediacy of small details. She also addresses both the reader and Jupiter’s second moon directly via the use of “we”. Among the many detailed spreads that Sís created, note his nod to van Gogh and Starry Night.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 