We, the curious ones
(Book)

In this companion to her Coretta Scott King Award--winning The Stuff of Stars (2018), Bauer considers the intersection of science and story. Lyrical free verse begins with ancient peoples and the stories they told, such as a flat world built on the back of a turtle, to explain the astrophysics of Earth. The cerebral, deceptively simple picture book for readers of all ages continues with beliefs about the earth, the sun, and the expanding universe; how these beliefs evolved over time; and how people continue to question them. Despite the seemingly empty darkness of our vast universe, there is still mystery, and the author asks in conclusion, "What will you discover? What stories will you tell?" Illustrators Hari & Deepti depict this wonder through the ages in luminous, layered scenes of human silhouettes observing changing skies. Their ethereal illustrations were rendered from backlit paper dioramas that were hand cut and painted. An afterword offers a brief history of early non-Western civilizations and influential scientists who shaped what we know about the universe today.

Tackling a wide-ranging history of thought about the universe, Bauer describes the transformation of stories that humans--"the curious ones"--tell about their surroundings. Once describing a flat world that rested on a turtle, humans' tales change after those "who dare challenge/ even the stories/ we love" ask if the world might be not flat, but round. As generations pass, others ask whether the earth might revolve around the sun, leading to seemingly limitless concepts ("the universe is expanding"). Glittering with stars and pulsing with color and light, photographed dioramas constructed by married team Hari & Deepti convey a sense of limitless space that dwarfs the stylized, shadowy human figures who see themselves in constellations. The collaborators bring sweep and majesty to the concept of paradigmatic change, communicating the challenge and excitement in revolutionary new ways of thinking and telling. An afterword discusses the book's roots in the idea of quantum gravity. Ages 6--9. (Nov.)

Gr 1--4--Written in beautiful lyrical poetry, award-winning author Bauer presents a tale of human endeavor and history. This picture book tells the story of how the curiosity, questioning, and struggle of human beings has led to discovery and change. She begins with, "Birds sing. Bees dance. Wolves howl, 'I am here! I am here!' But we are the ones who tell stories." These wonderful words are aptly paired with shimmering colors and intricate cut-paper artwork. This thought-provoking book takes readers on the journey from early mythology to modern science and ponders the symbiotic relationship between science and story. The poems come full circle, ending with, "Dogs bow. Prairie dogs kiss. Fireflies flash, 'Come to Me! Come to Me!' Trees talk to one another underground. And we, the curious ones, the ones who discover, tell stories." When shared with young readers, these poems will spark discussion about the power of story and our part in the universe. Students will be encouraged to look at stories with new eyes, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful discussion that promotes higher level thinking skills. Somewhat reminiscent of the questioning response evoked in Oliver Jeffers's Here We Are, Jon J Muth's The Three Questions, and Kobi Yamada's Noticing, this work might also be paired with Rebecca Lewis-Oakes's STEAM title Mythical Science. A comprehensive afterword explores how early folktales described the universe and more. VERDICT A book of poems that asks philosophical questions to provoke thought, encourage curiosity, and inspire young readers with a new appreciation and understanding about the world around them.--Carole Phillips

Stories and science have long had a push-pull relationship. Long ago, Bauer notes, humans told creation myths of a flat Earth that was physically held up by various entities, and the people loved their stories dearly. But there have always been those for whom loving a story isn't enough--these are the curious ones who go deeper, question, and come to new conclusions. And so, human knowledge--the story we tell ourselves to explain the nature of our world--evolved to conceive of Earth as a round planet at the center of the universe, then as a planet near the center circling the grandest star, and finally as just one of many planets in a seemingly infinite universe. The gorgeous, dreamy, watercolorlike artwork--paper dioramas backlit and photographed--provides a celestial vibe to the background, while more solid human figures are silhouetted in the foreground (occasionally, character details hint at nonspecific time periods and places). The small font size works as a metaphor for how small humans are in the universe, but it falls short of being kid-friendly. The spare story text tends toward the abstract. Though the lengthy afterword is quite dense, its specificity is refreshingly concrete, as it offers a more accessible chronicle of human understanding on various cosmic topics. An aesthetically beautiful book with complex content that positions it more toward the classroom. (Picture book. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this companion to her Coretta Scott King Award–winning The Stuff of Stars (2018), Bauer considers the intersection of science and story. Lyrical free verse begins with ancient peoples and the stories they told, such as a flat world built on the back of a turtle, to explain the astrophysics of Earth. The cerebral, deceptively simple picture book for readers of all ages continues with beliefs about the earth, the sun, and the expanding universe; how these beliefs evolved over time; and how people continue to question them. Despite the seemingly empty darkness of our vast universe, there is still mystery, and the author asks in conclusion, "What will you discover? What stories will you tell?" Illustrators Hari & Deepti depict this wonder through the ages in luminous, layered scenes of human silhouettes observing changing skies. Their ethereal illustrations were rendered from backlit paper dioramas that were hand cut and painted. An afterword offers a brief history of early non-Western civilizations and influential scientists who shaped what we know about the universe today. Grades 1-4. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

Tackling a wide-ranging history of thought about the universe, Bauer describes the transformation of stories that humans—"the curious ones"—tell about their surroundings. Once describing a flat world that rested on a turtle, humans' tales change after those "who dare challenge/ even the stories/ we love" ask if the world might be not flat, but round. As generations pass, others ask whether the earth might revolve around the sun, leading to seemingly limitless concepts ("the universe is expanding"). Glittering with stars and pulsing with color and light, photographed dioramas constructed by married team Hari & Deepti convey a sense of limitless space that dwarfs the stylized, shadowy human figures who see themselves in constellations. The collaborators bring sweep and majesty to the concept of paradigmatic change, communicating the challenge and excitement in revolutionary new ways of thinking and telling. An afterword discusses the book's roots in the idea of quantum gravity. Ages 6–9. (Nov.)

Gr 1–4—Written in beautiful lyrical poetry, award-winning author Bauer presents a tale of human endeavor and history. This picture book tells the story of how the curiosity, questioning, and struggle of human beings has led to discovery and change. She begins with, "Birds sing. Bees dance. Wolves howl, ‘I am here! I am here!' But we are the ones who tell stories." These wonderful words are aptly paired with shimmering colors and intricate cut-paper artwork. This thought-provoking book takes readers on the journey from early mythology to modern science and ponders the symbiotic relationship between science and story. The poems come full circle, ending with, "Dogs bow. Prairie dogs kiss. Fireflies flash, ‘Come to Me! Come to Me!' Trees talk to one another underground. And we, the curious ones, the ones who discover, tell stories." When shared with young readers, these poems will spark discussion about the power of story and our part in the universe. Students will be encouraged to look at stories with new eyes, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful discussion that promotes higher level thinking skills. Somewhat reminiscent of the questioning response evoked in Oliver Jeffers's Here We Are, Jon J Muth's The Three Questions, and Kobi Yamada's Noticing, this work might also be paired with Rebecca Lewis-Oakes's STEAM title Mythical Science. A comprehensive afterword explores how early folktales described the universe and more. VERDICT A book of poems that asks philosophical questions to provoke thought, encourage curiosity, and inspire young readers with a new appreciation and understanding about the world around them.—Carole Phillips