Fact Friday: Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin

Image: Holiday House

Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin. 40 p. Neal Porter Books/ Holiday House, September, 2020. 9780823446230. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

In #nevertoooldforpicturebook news, Fact Friday features Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin. Mr. Chin is an award-winning author illustrator who manages to present big-concept ideas in an understandable way to young (and older) readers paired with stunning illustrations that grab and hold. In Grand Canyon, he took us deep into the canyon and far back into history to help us appreciate this natural wonder. In Your Place in the Universe, he helps the us understand comparative measurement, starting small with inches, by showing how tall the average eight-year-old is, then moving onto feet, by comparing the eight year old to the average sized giraffe before ending at the theoretical end of the universe. Back matter includes an author note and sources for further reading. Surely anyone who loses themselves in this brilliant picture book will be eager to learn more.

This is one of my favorite picture books of the year. Honestly, I didn't think Mr. Chin could out-do himself after Grand Canyon. I found myself unwilling to turn the pages, wanting to remain on each spread for awhile. It's a book I will return to often.

I feel I need to apologize. Since school started and I am teaching language arts virtually to fifth and sixth grade hybrid students on their virtual days, my reading has plummeted and my reviewing has been a struggle. I don't write long reviews, but I don't write quickly. Each short review takes a really long time for me and I just don't have it because my focus necessarily has to be on preparing lessons for language arts instead of library. I am privileged to work with two seasoned, extraordinary teachers who are doing the heavy lifting by planning; but I feel like a first year teacher, at year twenty-two along with the exhaustion that accompanies it.