(2) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Marcero. Set against a dramatic background of black, white, and ice-blue watercolors, this picture-book biography of Edwin Hubble (1889–1953) emphasizes the vastness and wonder of the night sky that drove his passion for astronomy. As a child, Edwin would gaze up at the heavens, asking: "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" His father had little patience for such diversions and discouraged Edwin's interest in science. After his father's death, however, Edwin enrolled in the University of Chicago to major in astronomy. Taking his first job at the Mount Wilson Observatory (where striking illustrations show him, night after night, at its giant telescope), Hubble discovered that the Milky Way is but one galaxy, merely a small part of a vast universe. The book's explanation of how Hubble proved that the universe is expanding may be beyond the complete understanding of the audience, but referencing the previous work of astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt helps show children that scientists do not act alone, but rather metaphorically stand on the shoulders of others. Repeated throughout the text, the three questions that initiated Hubble's interest emphasize his lifelong drive and persistence. Also repeated are visual motifs, first a grouping of stars, reminiscent of thought balloons, surrounding Hubble's head when he studies or contemplates astronomy; more striking is the vast majesty of the night sky that dominates both Hubble's interest and the reader's attention. Appended with author and illustrator notes, additional information about Edwin Hubble and the Hubble-Lemaître Law, and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Nixon. A boy named Leo feels like an alien. Everything around him is simply too much: too bright, loud, and ­confusing. For Leo, "life on the wrong planet was stressful. And tiring. And lonely." One day at the aquarium, he meets a fellow "alien": an octopus named Maya. He dives into octopus research, and then ­visits again. With the help and encouragement of Edgar the octopus-keeper, Leo even gets the courage to touch Maya. Her skin whitens, which (as Leo had learned) is a sign that she feels calm--she likes him! One day, Leo arrives to find a big, noisy crowd. He knows it's a problem as soon as Maya begins to turn red: this was too bright, too loud, and too confusing. The crowd finally dissipates, but Leo finds another (human) friend in a boy who stays behind. Marinov tactfully parallels Leo's neurodivergence with Maya's own talents, allowing readers to both sympathize with and admire their approaches to the world. Nixon's stylized illustrations, gently rendered in a muted palette, make excellent use of shape and color to communicate Leo's and Maya's senses of safety (or lack thereof), even linking the archway of Maya's enclosure to the shape of Leo's cardboard hideout at home. Using her own family as a model (per an appended note), Marinov simply and straightforwardly honors the experiences of a child on the autism spectrum who is ­negotiating this overstimulating planet.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022