Rocket Says Look Up!

Starred review from June 1, 2019

K-Gr 2-Young Rocket, an admirer of astronaut Mae Jemison, never stops telling others to "Look up!" Named for a rocket that blasted into space on the day she was born, Rocket is preparing herself to be the "greatest astronaut, star catcher, space walker who has ever lived." She sets up her telescope each night to wish on a star, her everyday clothing choice is an astronaut suit, star earrings are her favorites, and she has lots of information for those around her, especially concerning the Phoenix meteor shower to be visible that night. Her first-person commentary describes her family, her passion for space, and informs anyone who will listen about the Earth's travel through a comet's trail of dust. A multiethnic cast of characters with expressive cartoon faces fill this brightly colorful book with strong contrasts between indoor and outdoor images, variation of fonts, and speech or thought bubbles. All leads to the night sky event, when a frustrating sky search for the meteor awakens self-absorbed brother Jamal who finally turns off his phone to "Look up!" and give a bit of encouragement to his younger sister. VERDICT Ideal for space or science-inclined readers, this book includes brief information about outstanding scientist Jemison and a short list of facts about meteors and comets enclosed in an embrace of family relationships and a child's joy in the world around her. A suggested first purchase for all libraries.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 10, 2019
Rocket, a brown-skinned, bespectacled child with a telescope about as big as she is, is always “looking up.” There’s a reason: she envisions becoming an astronaut like Mae Jemison, “the first African American woman in space.” The text, speckled with space facts (“DID YOU KNOW... most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand?”), follows Rocket as she prepares for her future (for example, “captur rare and exotic life forms”—a butterfly in a jar). Adeola imbues the protagonist with personality; in her star earrings, orange space suit, and bold hairstyle, she’s seen excitedly preparing to attend a meteor shower and raise enthusiasm in her neighborhood, even if her excitement irritates her older brother, Jamal, whose specialty is looking “down at his silly phone.” Bryon’s story brightly conveys Rocket’s space obsession alongside day-to-day hopes and familial tensions; the title also weaves in a message that not just STEM, but also screen-free time, can help one aim for the stars. Ages 3–7.

Starred review from April 1, 2019
Rocket is on a mission...to get her angst-y teen brother to put down his cellphone and look up. An aspiring astronaut, Rocket makes it a point to set up her telescope and gaze at the stars every night before bedtime. Inspired by Mae Jemison, Rocket, a supercute black girl with braids and a coiffed Afro, hopes to be "the greatest astronaut, star catcher, and space walker who has ever lived." As the night of the Phoenix meteor shower approaches, Rocket makes fliers inviting everyone in her neighborhood to see the cosmic event at the park. Over the course of her preparations, she shares information about space-shuttle missions, what causes a meteor shower, and when is the best time to see one. Jamal, Rocket's insufferable older brother, who sports a high-top fade and a hoodie, is completely engrossed in his phone, even as just about everybody in the neighborhood turns up. The bright, digital illustrations are an exuberant celebration of both space and black culture that will simultaneously inspire and ground readers. That the main characters are unapologetically black is made plain through myriad details. Rocket's mother is depicted cornrowing her daughter's hair with a wide-toothed comb and hair oil. Gap-toothed Rocket, meanwhile, makes her enthusiasm for space clear in the orange jumpsuit both she and her cat wear--and even Jamal's excited by the end. Outstanding--a breath of fresh air, just like Rocket herself. (Picture book. 5-8)

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