Book Review: The Darkest Dark

THE DARKEST DARK by Chris Hadfield is based on the true story of a young boy who became an astronaut.

Set in the late 1960s, this beautifully illustrated picture book follows a young boy who pretends he’s an astronaut. His fear of the dark keeps him up at night until he dreams of being an astronaut. Discovering the beauty and power of space helps him overcome his fear.

The book concludes with a short biographical sketch by the author and family photos. Hadfield became the first Canadian to walk in space.

Librarians will find this attractive picture book to be an effective way to introduce biographies to young children. After reading the book, share photos and short videos from the author’s website to extend the experience.

To learn more about the astronaut author, go to http://chrishadfield.ca/.

Published on September 6, 2016 by Little Brown, imprint of Hachette. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: International Dark Sky Week & International Year of Light

It’s INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK (April 13-19). The weeklong event calls attention to the negative impact of light pollution on night sky viewing. Go to the IDS Week 2015 Activity page at http://goo.gl/IehK2q.

The International Dark-Sky Association website at http://www.darksky.org/ contains information on outdoor lighting, night sky conservation, and an education section featuring lots of handouts and activity ideas.

The year 2015 is the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LIGHT AND LIGHT-BASED TECHNOLOGIES. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sponsored website at http://www.light2015.org explores the importance of light as well as darkness around the world.

The website contains fascinating information organized into the following sections: why light matters, learn about light, hands-on involvement, cosmic light, light for development, and science stories.

Consider a school-wide STEM project centered in the school library. Focus on the need for both light and darkness for the health and happiness of people and wildlife around the world.