Ada and the Galaxies

Gr 2-4–While bonding with her grandparents on the coast of Maine with her mother, Ada goes kayaking, observes nesting birds, and gathers seashells. But what she really wants is to see the stars; back home in New York City, she can only see street lights at night. While waiting for the sky to clear, Ada’s grandfather, Poobah, teaches her about galaxies by showing her real pictures in books. Ada is awe-struck when she can finally witness the infinite depths of the night sky with her own eyes. Because of their prominence, the facts about space and nature are likely to stick, while the characters are unlikely to be remembered. However, the family, their environment, and the swirling stars are all lovingly depicted in the rich watercolor artwork, which incorporates photos from the Hubble Space Telescope. Careful attention is given to the characters’ expressive faces, drawn with sharp black lines; they all have brownish hair and tan skin, and Ama is always shown with her head covered. An author’s note further explains the scientific accuracy of the text.