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WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
CITY: Montreal
STATE:
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
LAST VOLUME: SATA 356
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL EDUCATION:
McGill University, bachelor’s degree.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Panadream Theater, cofounder. Conducts writing workshops for children through Culture in the Schools Program organized by Ministre de Culture et Communications Québec.
WRITINGS
Author of plays, including Yorgo & the World. Under pseudonym Lydia Light, author of e-books for children, including A Date with the Dentist, Building Bridges, Chasing Rainbows, Cody Learns to Say Good-Bye, Learning to Cope with Divorce, and The Wonderful World of Water.
SIDELIGHTS
Lydia Lukidis is a multidisciplinary artist who has written numerous books for children and is also cofounder of a puppetry theater, Panadream Theater. “I’ve been writing since the age of 6, but I focused mostly on poetry and short stories for many years,” she told Christine L. Henderson at Henderson’s Let’s Write! blog. “After getting a degree in English Literature, I went on a different venture—I became a puppeteer! I made string marionettes and wrote plays for children. That’s when I realized that I loved writing for children.” Lukidis, who also studied pure and applied science, has said she particularly enjoys writing about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which have come to be grouped under the acronym STEM. “In 2013, I decided to focus exclusively on writing books for children and have never looked back,” she told a reviewer at KidLit 411. She continued, “I write a lot about STEM related topics, and my background in science now comes in handy.”
Lukidis’s science background does not mean that she is well-versed in every scientific topic. She learned a great deal, for instance, in writing The Broken Bees’ Nest, about children who, with the help of an adult expert on beekeeping, find a new home for the bees from a damaged hive. “I knew nothing about beekeeping but that’s one of the wonderful things about these kinds of books: you always learn something new,” she told Melissa Stoller at Stoller’s eponymous website. “Luckily, I love to do research and I also corresponded with a bee expert from The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association. The narrative came along naturally once I figured out what facts needed to be present in the book. Writing creative nonfiction is always such a treat!” The resulting book, illustrated by Andre Ceolin, received praise from critics, with a Kirkus Reviews contributor noting: “The scientific information contained in both the narrative and supplementary inserts throughout … is top-notch.” Booklist reviewer J.B. Petty called The Broken Bees’ Nest “an attractive book for home or classroom.”
Lukidis definitely finds writing about science rewarding, but “it’s also nice to get back into the world of fiction and make-believe,” she told Laura Sassi at the Laura Sassi Tales blog. She reentered that world by writing No Bears Allowed, focusing on a rabbit who is terrified of bears. When he meets a bear in the woods, however, the rabbit has to reconsider his preconceived notions about bears. The story is “character driven,” Lukidis told the Kid Lit 411 interviewer, growing out of her conceptions of the fearful rabbit and a “loveable yet slightly goofy bear.” “What would happen if they met?” Lukidis asked. She continued: “Could they somehow develop an unlikely friendship? These questions directed the narrative.” It turns out the bear has fears of his own, and the rabbit has a chance to display courage. At the GROG website, Lukidis told Sherri Jones Rivers: “I wanted the story to be about the power of friendship, and the importance of not judging others or letting our fears govern our actions. Bear and Rabbit are different, to be sure, but they eventually learn they have more in common than they ever thought. These themes directed the flow of the entire story.” Tara J. Hannon provided the illustrations, and Lukidis was pleased with her work, telling Rivers: “She exceeded my expectations. She put her on spin on things.”
Several reviewers found No Bears Allowed engaging. It has a “clever framework” and “offers an effective brain exercise in graphic storytelling for young readers,” remarked a contributor to Kirkus Reviews. Diane C. Donovan, writing in MBR Bookwatch, predicted that the book will “encourage kids to face their fears and think about not just the reality of danger, but different personalities and choices.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 1, 2019, J.B. Petty, review of The Broken Bees’ Nest, p. 58.
Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2019, review of The Broken Bees’ Nest.
MBR Bookwatch, June, 2019, Diane C. Donovan, review of No Bears Allowed.
ONLINE
BookMarketingBuzzBlog, http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/(February 9, 2015), Brian Feinblum, author interview.
By Word of Beth, http://www.bethstilborn.com/ (September 23, 2019), author interview.
Christine L. Henderson … Let’s Write!, http://thewritechris.blogspot.com/ (October 1, 2019), Christine L. Henderson, “Be Relentless: An Interview with Children’s Book Author, Lydia Lukidis.”
GROG, https://groggorg.blogspot.com/ (May 29, 2019), Sherri Jones Rivers, “Lovely Lydia Lukidis Talks about No Bears Allowed.”
Helen Ishmurzin blog, https://helenishmurzin.wordpress.com/ (June 15, 2019), author interview.
Katie Walsh-Life’s Adventures, https://katiewalsh.blog/ (June 21, 2019), Katie Walsh, author interview.
Kid Lit 411, http://www.kidlit411.com/ (October 18, 2019), author interview.
Kirkus Reviews, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/ (May 31, 2019), review of No Bears Allowed.
Laura Sassi Tales, https://laurasassitales.wordpress.com/ (July 22, 2019), Laura Sassi, “Five Fun Facts about No Bears Allowed with Author Lydia Lukidis.”
Lydia Lukidis website, http://www.lydialukidis.com (January 12, 2020).
Medium, https://medium.com/ (June 11, 2019), author interview.
Melissa Stoller website, https://www.melissastoller.com/ (April 29, 2019), author interview.
Picture Book Planet, https://picturebookplanet.com/ (January 12, 2020), author interview.
Picture Book Spotlight, https://www.pbspotlight.com/ (August 24, 2019), Brian Gehrlein, “Author Spotlight: Lydia Lukidis.”*
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her passion for reading and writing began at a very young age, when she was a voracious reader and composed poem after poem in her journals. At the same time, her deep curiosity also prompted her to study science, and she eventually acquired a College degree in Pure and Applied Science. She later acquired her Bachelor degree in English Literature from McGill University and her love for the written word continued to grow.
Today, her passions of writing and science have merged together. She now integrates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. She’s especially fond of writing books with stimulating STEM topics, while keeping the text accessible and engaging for young readers. She also continues writing fiction and poetry.
Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019).
Lydia is very involved in the kidlit community. She volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story, co-hosts the annual Fall Writing Frenzy competition, and is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. This program is organized by the Ministre de Culture et Communications Québec and the workshops are subsidized by the Quebec Government.
In addition to her work with children, Lydia is a freelance journalist for magazines and websites, and primarily focuses on such topics as education, parenting, and wellness. She also does conceptual work for creative companies such as Moment Factory, where her latest project was to collaborate on a family show for Royal Caribbean International.
Lydia is represented by Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary agency.
For more information, please visit: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Storystorm 2023 Day 11: Lydia Lukidis Practices the Art of Discernment
January 11, 2023 in STORYSTORM 2023 | Tags: DEEP DEEP DOWN, Juan Calle, Lydia Lukidis
by Lydia Lukidis
Greetings and salutations, fellow Storystormers! I’ve been following Tara’s blog for many years now so it’s an honor to be here today. Woot, woot!
Carlton of "The Prince of Bel Air" doing his signature dance, then climbing on the couch and doing a backflip...while papers flutter around him.
No doubt, you’ve already been jotting down brilliant ideas and the Storystorm posts have been helping you unlock new brainstorming techniques. Today, my post will focus on nonfiction (though these strategies can also be applied to fiction) and HOW to develop your ideas.
We all have our strengths and weaknesses. For example, I’m an idea machine. I literally find everything fascinating and pretty much any topic can get my creative juices flowing. I’ve been keeping a document where I jot down all my ideas throughout the years.
So, what then? What do you do with all these ideas? I confess that my document is now over 100 pages long. Yikes.
Spongebob reading a very long list that just keeps unrolling longer
Too. Many. Ideas.
My mind feels overwhelmed. Although I find a spark in every single one of these ideas, I also struggle with how to develop them. To ease this process and stop my over-active mind from going mad, I practice the art of discernment.
Does the idea stand out?
Does it have what it takes to form a narrative?
Can an engaging hook be developed?
Is there enough kid appeal?
Kid appeal is essential, especially with nonfiction. It’s possible to take complex scientific processes and break them down in a way that children can understand, but you have to find the right “in.” Take a look at these nonfiction mentor texts that do a great job at making STEM interesting and fun for young readers:
Four book covers: Water is Water, No Monkeys No Chocolate, 13 Ways to Eat a Fly, Eek You Reek!
I admit that my stubborn mind sometimes chooses topics that I feel a deep passion for, but that don’t necessarily engage children. I forget to focus on what matters to a child. Or, I can’t seem to find the right way into the material. And yes, some ideas may ultimately not make the cut, and that’s okay.
Another critical element is the hook. When I started writing my new book DEEP, DEEP DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench, I had no hook. I just knew I wanted to write about the Mariana Trench so I metaphorically dove into the research. I wrote the first few drafts as a starting point, but they weren’t strong enough because there was no hook driving the narrative forward.
Deep, Deep Down cover: dark blue with a glow of a deep sea rover, highlighting an octopus, a reef, and an axoltlol.
And then I had some enlightening conversations with two of my nonfiction mentors; Melissa Stewart and Kirsten W. Larson. They both passed on this GEM that I will share with you:
Interesting facts are not enough to sustain a nonfiction book!
Sure, children love fun facts but there has to be more. Especially when it comes to expository nonfiction, the text can’t read like a research paper or an encyclopedia just spewing out facts.
So…how does one craft a stellar hook? This is the only equation that worked for me so far:
HOOK = TIME + RESEARCH
I’ve never been able to find the hook right away. For some ideas, it took several months, and for others, several years. Don’t rush or force it, and respect the process. One day, it will reveal itself to you. And if it doesn’t, put it aside or let it go. Only a small portion of your ideas will blossom into published books. Let it be.
To help all you Storystormers out, I created this handy checklist you can download and use. Once you’ve jotted down all your ideas, you need to put them to the test. My checklist has six essential ingredients, and if your idea passes all of them, it has great potential!
This is what it looks like:
1- Does the idea stand out? Study the market. If there are books about this idea, make sure your angle is unique.
2- Does the idea have what it takes to form a complete narrative?
3- Does the idea have enough kid appeal? Focus on what children care about.
4- Did you find the right "in"? Find ways to make the information relatable.
5- Did you develop an engaging hook? HOOK= TIME + RESEARCH!
6- Do YOU feel enough passion for this topic to sustain you through years of researching and writing?
If you reply YES to all 6 items, your idea has potential! Happy Writing!
Click here to download the PDF.
I used this checklist for DEEP, DEEP, DOWN and it passed all 6 steps. A year later, Capstone acquired the manuscript. While there are no guarantees in this business, we can all agree that a stellar book begins with a stellar idea. I wish you all luck as you sift through your own ideas and mine the true gems!
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.
Lydia is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. She’s very involved in the kidlit community and also volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story. Another passion of hers is fostering love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Visit Lydia online at LydiaLukidis.com and follow her on Twitter @LydiaLukidis.
Lydia Lukidis: DEEP DEEP DOWN (And of course, a GIVEAWAY!)
POSTED AT 14:17H IN PICTURE BOOKS, RHYME, UNCATEGORIZED BY ELLEN LEVENTHAL 17 COMMENTS
0LIKES
EL: I’m thrilled to have PBSpree sister, Lydia Lukidis here with us today. I was lucky enough to have read an early ARC of this gorgeous book, DEEP, DEEP DOWN: THE SECRET UNDERWATER POETRY OF THE MARIANA TRENCH. I promise it will take your breath away.
Welcome, Lydia! The first thing that caught my eye about your beautiful book is that the words and illustrations flow so well together. When you were writing with such lyricism, did you have a picture in your mind about how you hoped the images would look?
LL: Thanks for the sweet words! I actually made illustrator suggestions to my publisher early on, but they said they already had someone in mind. They told me about Juan and how he used to be a biologist before pursuing his dream of illustration. When I saw his samples, I immediately knew he was the right person. I spent a lot of time getting the facts rights for DEEP, DEEP DOWN, so I wanted the illustrations to be realistic and truly reflect the creatures. I prepared a 20-page resource guide with references (it took a month to put it together because there isn’t an abundance of actual photos). The end result was nothing short of miraculous. I couldn’t believe how stunning the illustrations were! They pull the reader in and reflect the true beauty of the trench,
EL: Absolutely! Have you written any other books in that same lyrical style, or is this something new?
LL: This is my first published book that contains such lyricism! It took me a while to begin understanding myself as a writer. For this project, I dove back into one of my first loves; poetry. I’ve been writing poetry since the age of 6, and I continued to study it in college. I never thought of pairing poetry with science. This book provided a breakthrough for me, where I realized how connected these disciplines are. For me, the text could not have been written in any other way; it had to reflect the poetic and mesmerizing beauty of the trench.
EL: These interior pages are lovely. Did you have any contact with the illustrator as you were working?
LL: No. I followed my editor’s lead, and if I had any comments or edits, I passed them on to her, and she relayed them to Juan. I was never introduced to him via email or telephone. That was the process with Capstone, and I respected it.
EL: Do you have a writing routine? If so, will you share it?
LL: I’m understanding my process more and more as a writer. Although it’s always different, some elements remain consistent. When it comes to nonfiction, I spend a lot of time (months or years) researching my topic. I may not know exactly what I want to write about, how to structure the information, and most commonly, what the hook is. It took about 6 months of research to find my hook for DEEP, DEEP DOWN. I was becoming increasingly frustrated because I knew I wanted to write about the Mariana Trench, but I wasn’t sure how to hook readers until one day when it came naturally. Once I met certain experts, I realized this notion I had of the trench being inhabited by big or menacing creatures (cue the goblin sharks or the anglerfish) was simply not true. In truth, the creatures that dwell in the deepest, darkest spot on our planet are nothing like what some may imagine.
Once I had my hook, it was full speed ahead. But it was incredibly difficult to get the facts straight, so I needed 55 revisions, six experts, and a ton of patience. A lot of the information on the internet is false (even from reliable sources), and our understanding of the trench is constantly evolving. It took about 2 ½ years to write the book. I’ve given up trying to “speed” up this process; I let it be what it is. The last book I just announced took seven years to write, so one can never calculate the flow and speed of inspiration.
Just to add, usually, my process involves putting the book aside for a while (months or years), but I didn’t have to do that with DEEP, DEEP DOWN. Although it was difficult to research, it flowed well from the start, and I never had to change structures.
EL: Please talk about your road to publication with this book.
Fun fact: This manuscript is the one that managed to snag Miranda Paul as an agent! This was my third agent, and I was so excited to be working with her (cut to today, and she’s still my dream agent, so the third time is a charm!)
But it took a while to find the right publisher. I did get an offer early on, but we decided to decline it for various reasons. It’s tough to decline an offer, but you have to focus on the bigger picture. The pile of rejections grew until we finally heard that it had gone to acquisitions at two publishing houses. Shortly after, Capstone made an offer which we happily accepted.
EL: I’m so happy that Capstone published this beautiful book! The words don’t always flow easily, though. What do you do when the words won’t come?
LL: Putting my manuscripts aside is usually a critical part of my process. Editing only seems to work when my eyes are fresh. Some books remain in the “drawer” forever, while others make it out due to sudden inspiration, which I can’t seem to control.
Reading is another great way to unclog the writing engine. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same genre in which you’re writing, but it usually helps me access my own well of ideas.
The most important thing for me is not to force it. Sure, I’d love to pump out solid manuscripts every six months, but you can’t rush good writing. It takes the time it takes.
EL: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers?
LL: From all my years of querying and hundreds of rejections, I’ve learned a few things:
-be patient
-DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY! What may be right for one agent or editor may not be right for another, it’s a highly subjective industry.
-try to learn from feedback, but let it go if it doesn’t resonate with you (the same goes with bad reviews)
-write EVERY day (be ruthless about setting this time aside)
-and don’t forget that sometimes, it’s a matter of the right timing!
EL Great advice! Thank you so much for joining us, Lydia, and good luck with this beautiful book!
Lydia is giving away a non-fiction picture book critique to one lucky winner. Less than 1,000 words, and no rhyme, please.
All you have to do is comment on this post. If you subscribe to the blog, let me know, and you will get an extra chance to win.
Lydia’s Bio:
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.
Lydia is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. She’s very involved in the kidlit community and also volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story. Another passion of hers is fostering love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Social Media Links
Website & order links: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Twitter: @LydiaLukidis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis
Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3fATvqtKDk
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), The Broken Bee’s Nest (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a CYBILS Award, and No Bears Allowed (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. An avid lover of STEAM, she’s also keen on exploring the intersection of art and science. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for literacy with children through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program.
Open to work for hire and IP work in board books, picture books, chapter books, and middle grade. Special interest in STEAM, animals, biographies (especially pioneering women), discoveries and inventions, environmental issues and sustainability, social justice, mythology/history/art, stories that foster empathy, perseverance, and mindfulness.
Agent
Miranda Paul
THE SECRET
UNDERWATER POETRY OF THE MARIANA TRENCH
AUTHOR LYDIA LUKIDIS
ILLUSTRATOR JUAN CALLE VELEZ
PUBLISHER CAPSTONE EDITIONS
PRICE [pounds sterling]17.13/$18.99
RELEASE 1 JANUARY
What swims near the surface is just a tiny fraction of marine life. In Deep, Deep Down, the reader jumps aboard a submarine to explore what life looks like in the darkest ocean depths. When the rays of sunlight fade, the creatures that emerge seem more alien. Each double-page illustration captures the remarkable beauty of the distinct life forms that have evolved to survive in areas that are lacking in food, light and warmth.
When new animals are spotted during the journey downwards, small fact boxes provide key information about their sizes, names and depths. With close-up illustrations, readers come face to face with marine life such as the rattail fish, which can spend 200 days with no food, or the deepest swimming of all fish, the snailfish.
Although readers are likely never to see most of the animals described in real life, the text paints a vivid picture with artistic descriptions of movement, behaviour and appearance, making it feel like a true tour. Before returning to the surface, the author allows the reader to dance with the deepest creatures. With no eyes, heads, hearts or lungs, life over 10,000 metres down flows with the water's currents like a unique form of art. For adventurous readers aged between eight and ten, this book is the key to unlocking the secrets of the expansive oceans.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Future US, Inc.
http://www.howitworksdaily.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"DEEP, DEEP DOWN." How It Works Magazine, no. 170, 15 Oct. 2022, p. 91. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A725772019/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3e26b6e5. Accessed 5 May 2024.
Frigg vs. Aphrodite: Battle of the Beauties. By Lydia Lukidis. 2023. 32p. illus. lib. ed., $31.32 (9781669016267). 202.114.
Hades vs. Anubis: The Deadly Duel. By Lydia Lukidis. 2023. 32p. illus. lib. ed., $31.32 (9781669016342). 202.113.
Hel vs. Persephone: Fight for the Underworld. By Lydia Lukidis. 2023. 32p. illus. $31.32 (9781669016427). 202.114.
Odin vs. Ares: The Legendary Face-Off. By Lydia Lukidis. 2023. 32p. illus. lib. ed., $31.32 (9781669016502). 202.113.
These breezy volumes in the Mythology Matchups series pit two similar deities from different ancient religions against each other to see who comes out on top. Each title opens with a dramatic scene in which its featured gods or goddesses arrive before moving into four chapters that typically provide snapshots of the deities' origins, strengths, powers, and flaws, all of which are neady summed up in concluding "At a Glance" fact pages. The engaging writing will immediately draw in readers, and well-chosen illustrations (many being reproductions of artwork), fact bubbles, and ample white space will help to retain kids' focus. The author also mindfully points out discrepancies between historical accounts and stories. Frigg vs. Aphrodite compares these famous beauties, highlighting Frigg's primary role as a loving mother and Aphrodite's unparalleled command of love. Visit the underworld in Hades vs. Anubis, which reveals Hades' ability to become invisible and Anubis' to shapeshift. Goddesses of the underworld get their due in Hel vs. Persephone, which includes the enthralling stories of how these women came to rule there. Odin vs. Ares hits the battlefield, where these war gods embody the notion of brains versus brawn, respectively. Greek and Norse mythologies see the most action in this high-interest series, leaving it room to grow. As for the winners? Those are left for readers to pick.--Julia Smith
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Smith, Julia. "Mythology Matchups Series. Capstone. Gr. 3-5. (4 new titles)." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 12, 15 Feb. 2024, pp. 46+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A783436442/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8434930a. Accessed 5 May 2024.
Lukidis, Lydia DANCING THROUGH SPACE Whitman (Children's None) $18.99 4, 4 ISBN: 9780807514580
Early passions for science and for dance rocketed Mae Jemison into Earth's orbit.
When introducing a young Mae, whose curiosity about the natural world was equaled only by her inability to sit still, Lukidis frames her brief portrait of the future astronaut around those twin qualities. So it was that science "gave her courage" and dance "gave her determination" to complete her medical studies, keep her body flexible and strong, and weather setbacks on the way to becoming "the first Black woman to fly into space." As the shuttle orbited "in a slow choreography," the author writes, Jemison "danced through space / and floated among the stars." In Cloud's illustrations, she stands out both for her balletic poses (on the ground as well as in microgravity) and as the one whose eyes are almost continually looking up and forward. In an afterword, the author includes a quote from Jemison about how science and dance are linked; Lukidis explains that the two "work together to give us a fuller understanding of who we are." Along with adding further biographical detail, the closing timeline notes that Jemison was inspired by her own role models, astronaut Sally Ride and Star Trek actor Nichelle Nichols, to apply for the space program.
A quick but lyrical character study. (Picture-book biography. 6-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lukidis, Lydia: DANCING THROUGH SPACE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782202712/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2472ba8a. Accessed 5 May 2024.
Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights
Lydia Lukidis, illus. by Sawyer Cloud. Albert Whitman, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8075-1458-0
The sky proves no limit in Lukidis's encouraging biography of Black female astronaut Mae Jemison (b. 1956). Facing pages use mirroring prose to showcase the figure's twin loves--science and dance--as she pursues each, first with youthful passion and then with adult discipline. Through the study of science, Jemison develops "courage" and her mind becomes "strong and sharp." Meanwhile, dance offers lessons in "determination," and shapes her body so that it's "strong and muscular." Undergraduate studies in chemical engineering (where Jemison is one of only a few women and there are "none who looked like her") lead her to medical school. Early interest in space inspires her to apply to NASA's highly competitive astronaut training program, and despite an initial setback, she soon "danced through space." Mapped closely to text, Cloud's unlined renderings picture the subject studying and dancing with satisfying emotion as an uncomplicated portrait of Jemison emerges. An author's note and timeline conclude. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 7, 19 Feb. 2024, p. 58. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A785161759/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=54678cd3. Accessed 5 May 2024.