Books
In Praise of Mystery
From the publisher: From U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón and Caldecott Honoree Peter Sís: a transcendent picture book featuring the poem that will travel into space aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper. As part of her tenure as U.S. poet laureate, Ada Limón has written “In Praise of Mystery,” which will be engraved on the Europa Clipper spacecraft that launches to Jupiter and its moons in October 2024. Published here as Limón’s debut picture book, this luminous poem is illustrated by celebrated and internationally renowned artist Peter Sís. In Praise of Mystery celebrates humankind’s endless curiosity, asks us what it means to explore beyond our known world, and shows how the unknown can reflect us back to ourselves.
A book by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón and Caldecott Honoree Peter Sís
Norton Young Readers (October 1, 2024)
Hardcover, 32 pages / ISBN-10 : 132405400X / ISBN-13 : 978-1324054009
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REVIEWS
“An evocative tribute not only to Earth and space, but also to what brings us together and makes us dream.” — Book Page, starred review
“In U.S. Poet Laureate Limón’s debut picture book, soaring images and lyrics invite contemplation of life’s wonders—on Earth and perhaps, tantalizingly, elsewhere… A luminous call to think about what is and to envision what might be.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Both delicately and expansively wrought, it’s a work of unity that describes how, though separated by unimaginable distance, the realms are connected by water and more.” — Publisher’s Weekly, starred review
"The gentle, contemplative touch of the poet is evident in the rhythm and fluidity of the language and bolstered by the work of Sís’s encompassing and elegant illustrations―a layered mix of watercolors, pen, and ink that pair beautifully with the spare and delicate poetry. His art, like Limón’s writing, is rooted in the elements but threaded through with magic… The book, while fairly brief, reveals something new upon each reading: a testament to the wonder and mystery that Limón writes about so movingly. This would be a lovely and innovative addition to a classroom lesson on space exploration… This ode to beauty and the still-to-be-explored corners of the universe will find an audience among elementary school students and educators." ― School Library Journal, starred review
“A poem written by US poet laureate Ada Limón at NASA’s request to accompany their Europa Clipper spacecraft on its trip to Jupiter’s moon Europa is given the picture book treatment in this title for anyone who wonders at the mysteries of our world—and worlds beyond. A child is carried through the sky with a parachute made of stars, and a tree is encased in a streaking drop of rain in imaginative illustrations that reflect humankind’s endless capacity to dream.” — Foreword, starred review
“Limón’s poetry brings a simplicity even as it asks readers to contemplate a complex universe and their place within it.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books