Teddy is fascinated with outer space and the planets. I always try to make an effort to support and expand on Teddy's interests, and a great way to do that is with children's books. It was really difficult finding high quality outer space books. I'm picky with children's books and don't mess with bad cheesy illustrations and then to make sure the books were up-to date (R.I.P. Pluto!) with age-appropriate information seemed like an impossible task.
As if an answer to my prayers, a few days after my exhaustive search I received a package from Sourcebooks Kids filled with amazing outer space books. They were exactly what I was looking for and Teddy was thrilled.
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MOON'S FIRST FRIEND
Fiction meets non-fiction with Moon's First Friend: One Giant Leap for Friendship by Suzanna Leonard Hill. In this adorable picture book, the moon watches the Earth for centuries. She waits and waits for someone to come and visit her. Finally a spaceship comes and lands on her and she is so happy to have a friend.
The personification of the moon makes the information more accessible to preschoolers. My favorite part of the book is the QR codes on the front and back cover where you can scan to hear actual recordings of the moon launch countdown and the moon landing. Teddy asked to listen to them over and over.
8 LITTLE PLANETS
Our favorite book of the bunch was 8 Little Planets by Chris Ferrie and illustrated by Lizzy Doyle. This board book introduces each planet along with one or two fun facts with simple rhyming text. The peek-a-boo cut-out in the center of each page helps children to understand the planets in relation to the sun. I love the cute modern illustrations. I also love that 8 Little Planets encourages counting.
ABC'S OF SPACE
I love a good ABC book and ABC's of Space by Chris Ferrie and Julia Kregenow, PhD did not disappoint. There is a lot of factual information in this little board book. The authors do a fantastic job tiering the information into three layers.
Sometimes we read this book to Teddy using just the ABC vocabulary word. For a little bit more information we'll read the vocabulary word with the next line of text which gives a simple explanation of the word. The third chunk of text is a more scientific explanation which is very helpful for a parent that doesn't know too much about space (myself included). I thought I knew a lot about outer space, but the ABC's of Space taught me a lot that I didn't know. ABC's of Space is interesting to preschoolers, but also serves as a great resource for parents.
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
Everyone is familiar with the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but this book teaches kids the real science behind what makes a star twinkle. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are by Julia Kregenow, PhD. is very informative and recommended for children age 4-8. Teddy was a little young for this book, but he still appreciated it. He likes when I sing this to him, but some of the vocabulary is a little advanced for him to really understand all of the information. I have a feeling this book will become a favorite in a few years.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPACE BOOKS?
Let us know your favorite space books (or space activities!) in the comments. If you have any questions about any of theses titles just ask below or send me a DM on instagram @ureadyteddy
