Child of the Universe

Illustrated by Raul Colón
Perfect for fans of The Wonderful Things You Will Be and That's Me Loving You, this picture book by a renowned astrophysicist is a lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe.

Just like the sun gives shine to the moon,
you light up the world beyond this room . . .
You are grand and marvelous, strong and mysterious.
The history of the world is in your fingertips.

A lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe, this gorgeously illustrated picture book shares the immensity of a parent's love along with the message that we are all connected to the broader cosmos in important and intimate ways. A perfect bedtime read-aloud, Child of the Universe is a book to cherish forever.

The author is an astrophysicist who has been fascinated by the universe since he was a child. As a parent, he has developed a new appreciation for the deep connections between billions of years of cosmic evolution and this one tiny human.
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell, Ray Jayawardhana investigates the origins and diversity of planetary systems and the prospects for life in the universe, using many of the world's largest telescopes. He is a prolific researcher with more than 125 scientific papers to his credit, whose discoveries have garnered widespread attention. Child of the Universe is Ray's picture-book debut. Find out more at drrayjay.net or on Twitter at @DrRayJay.

Raul Colón has illustrated several highly acclaimed picture books, including Draw!, the New York Times bestselling Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt; Susanna Reich's José! Born to Dance, and Jill Biden's Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

Classroom Activities for Child of the Universe

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

  • SELECTION | 2021
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
“There's hardly room—or need—for white space in a book this grand and glorious. Out of this world.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

A magnificent journey through the cosmos.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This lovely picture book can spark interest in scientific exploration, create awareness of our connection to the cosmos, and encourage dreamers.” —School Library Journal, starred review

"The simplicity of the text is brilliantly upheld by Colón’s spectacular colored-pencil illustrations. The wordless spreads are particularly compelling for their swaths and curlicues of rich colors depicting cosmic wonders such as solar flares, atomic structures, and ocean waves." —Booklist

About

Perfect for fans of The Wonderful Things You Will Be and That's Me Loving You, this picture book by a renowned astrophysicist is a lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe.

Just like the sun gives shine to the moon,
you light up the world beyond this room . . .
You are grand and marvelous, strong and mysterious.
The history of the world is in your fingertips.

A lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe, this gorgeously illustrated picture book shares the immensity of a parent's love along with the message that we are all connected to the broader cosmos in important and intimate ways. A perfect bedtime read-aloud, Child of the Universe is a book to cherish forever.

The author is an astrophysicist who has been fascinated by the universe since he was a child. As a parent, he has developed a new appreciation for the deep connections between billions of years of cosmic evolution and this one tiny human.

Author

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell, Ray Jayawardhana investigates the origins and diversity of planetary systems and the prospects for life in the universe, using many of the world's largest telescopes. He is a prolific researcher with more than 125 scientific papers to his credit, whose discoveries have garnered widespread attention. Child of the Universe is Ray's picture-book debut. Find out more at drrayjay.net or on Twitter at @DrRayJay.

Raul Colón has illustrated several highly acclaimed picture books, including Draw!, the New York Times bestselling Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt; Susanna Reich's José! Born to Dance, and Jill Biden's Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

Guides

Classroom Activities for Child of the Universe

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2021
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

Praise

“There's hardly room—or need—for white space in a book this grand and glorious. Out of this world.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

A magnificent journey through the cosmos.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This lovely picture book can spark interest in scientific exploration, create awareness of our connection to the cosmos, and encourage dreamers.” —School Library Journal, starred review

"The simplicity of the text is brilliantly upheld by Colón’s spectacular colored-pencil illustrations. The wordless spreads are particularly compelling for their swaths and curlicues of rich colors depicting cosmic wonders such as solar flares, atomic structures, and ocean waves." —Booklist

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