A universe big & small A story about Carl Sagan

Portraying a young Carl Sagan (1934--1996) with bright, intensely focused eyes, a tilted head, and his signature turtleneck, Yang (Charles & Ray) imagines the future astronomer and scientist contemplating two contrasting realms of wonder: the infinitesimal and the infinite. First, Sagan muses on what it would be like to observe the most elemental matter, marveling as he imagines himself smaller and smaller until atoms combine into cells around him. "If everything is made of cells, then everything is connected," he thinks--underlining the interconnectedness that would become central to his real-life worldview. The figure next contemplates growing larger and larger, then investigates cosmic vastness aboard the spaceship Imagination while traveling through celestial spreads rendered in vibrant hues. In an accessible work loosely inspired by Sagan, economical text ("A nebula is a cloud in space that's made of gas and dust. That is where stars are born") pairs with blocky artwork to hint that exploring the universe begins and ends with questions. A creator's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (July)

A young Carl Sagan peers out his window looking at the night sky. He "loved to ask questions" and has many to ponder. What if he were as small as an atom -- the "smallest thing in the universe" -- and could watch them come together as cells? He could see how all living things are connected. And what if he were big enough to be among the stars? He envisions a spaceship named Imagination, which takes him from Venus's "boiling atmosphere" to Saturn's rings and even beyond the solar system to find a nebula, a galaxy, and a broader view of the never-ending universe. Wondering about life beyond our planet, Carl leaves a pictorial message on a satellite before returning home to his own "tiny blue dot." Stylized digital illustrations reminiscent of mid-century pop art convey Carl's fantastical space trip. The simple, bright-eyed narrative prioritizes Sagan's spirit of curiosity over biographical information; Yang's author's note aptly calls this text one of his "imagined stories of real people" (see also A Boy Named Isamu, rev. 9/21) and cites the ideas present in the book that came from Sagan himself. A whimsical tale that shares the pleasure of curiosity. Grace McKinney BeermannSeptember/October 2025 p.56 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A young Carl Sagan ponders the mysteries of the universe. What was the astronomer and host of the television seriesCosmos like as a boy? He began by asking questions. As young Carl fantasizes about what it would be like to be smaller, Yang depicts a block-shaped child dwindling in size "until he [can] visit atoms floating around him." The tiny Carl looks up at big bold red and blue molecules, observes atoms creating cells, and concludes, "If every living thing is made of cells, then everything is connected." Then Carl mulls what would happen if he could grow bigger "and visit the stars. Stars [are] made of atoms, too." Yang lines up Carl's big, round face alongside planets, illustrating the vastness of his imagination. This point becomes literal when Carl figures out that he needs "something special…to answer his questions": a spaceship namedImagination. The ship launches a journey to Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn (and Europa, one of Jupiter's moons), each a vivid world of geometric shapes and swirls. Yang frames the story with illustrations depicting Carl daydreaming as he gazes out of his backlit apartment window on a starry night filled with deep shades of blue. Young Carl stands in for every child who's ever asked big questions and considered how to answer them. The first step, as Yang makes beautifully clear, is always imagination. A lovely interpretation of curiosity and wonder. (author's note)(Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.