The fire of stars : the life and brilliance of the woman who discovered what stars are made of /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A 2023 Good Housekeeping Kids Book Award Winner

A Science Friday 2023 Best Book Pick

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2023

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023

2024 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book

Four Starred Reviews!

A poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne!



Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn't start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe.



With lyrical, evocative text by Kirsten W. Larson and extraordinary illustrations by award-winning illustrator Katherine Roy, this moving biography powerfully parallels the kindling of Cecilia Payne's own curiosity and her scientific career with the process of a star's birth, from mere possibility in an expanse of space to an eventual, breathtaking explosion of light.



WOMEN IN STEM CAN CHANGE HISTORY: With women making up less than 30 percent of the science and engineering workforce, supporting young girls who are interested in STEM fields is more important than ever! This picture book tells the story of Cecilia Payne, a trailblazing female astronomer and role model for young girls to relate to and see themselves in, from even the youngest age.



LOOK TO THE STARS: Any reader or stargazer who feels dazzled by the striking night sky will be enchanted by this true story of discovery and invention, as Cecilia's contributions to science prompt us to wonder: What else is out there?



BEAUTIFUL, INSPIRING GIFT: With compelling visual storytelling and an inspiring role model for aspiring astronomers, scientists, and engineers (and for young girls in particular), this stellar biography makes a great choice for any giving moment, from birthdays to celebrations to the holidays.



Perfect for: Parents, teachers, and librarians looking to instill curiosity and encourage scientific exploration Lovers of astronomy, stargazing, space travel, and outer space Anyone seeking narrative nonfiction and biography books about women in STEM for the classroom or choice reading Gift-givers looking for a unique true story to delight and inspire girls and boys Fans of Hidden Figures , Rad American Women A-Z , and I Am Malala

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

English astronomer Cecilia Payne (1900--1979) shines in this homage, which unfolds as a dual narrative that maps Payne's life to a star's phases of formation. The figure's scientific leanings first appear during a country childhood exploring the outdoors. While a move to London initially feels lonely, Payne takes refuge in her school's dusty lab, and eventually lands a scholarship to Cambridge, where she learns about a new field: astrophysics. Battling gender-related prejudice, the determined graduate heads to a job at Harvard, where she uncovers the ingredients of stars ("It's a stellar discovery, breathtaking"). Marrying format, language, and subject, Larson conscientiously emphasizes Payne's accomplishments. A star's "heat grows--// and then, at last...// a new light," and simultaneously Payne feels that "deep inside her something glimmers/ and glows, growing stronger./ Something new." Taking place alongside inky interstellar sidebar views, accompanying pencil and ink illustrations by Roy glow with warm digital coloring. An author's note, scientific information, and timeline conclude. Ages 5--8. (Feb.)

Booklist Review

Larson introduces Cecilia Payne, the first person to identify the chemical composition of stars. As a young child, Cecilia enjoyed observing nature; later, as a student, she excelled in the sciences, especially astrophysics; and while working at the Harvard Observatory, she discovered that stars are mostly hydrogen and helium. The picture book unfolds in two parallel narratives: Cecilia's life story and a more lyrical sidebar detailing the birth of a star. Appropriate to the audience, the science is kept to a minimum, although an afterword clarifies what is known about star formation. Roy's digitally enhanced pencil-and-walnut-ink illustrations are rendered in two distinct styles (one for each of the narratives) and appear adjacent to each other on the same spread: the biographical artwork uses a simplified cartoon style, while the star artwork is dramatic and reminiscent of Hubble Space Telescope photographs. Greens, browns, and gold hues predominate, accented in reds. Appended with further information, time line, and bibliography, this makes a good addition to the astronomy shelves.

Kirkus Book Review

In parallel plotlines, two stars are born--one to flare in space and another sort on Earth to shed light on how. In celestial deeps, illustrator Roy portrays dust and dirt gradually coalescing into a cloud that whirls ever more violently and at last ignites. Meanwhile, in side-by-side foreground scenes, a British child who thrills at the "lightning bolt of discovery" attendant on close observations of the natural world around her persistently chases that love through schools that discourage girls and women from such pursuits…all the way to the Harvard College Observatory. There she finds not only kindred female spirits, but also astronomical evidence leading to a blinding flash of insight about what stars are made of and in what proportions. Along with adding more detail about both the stellar career of Cecilia Payne, 25 years old when she made her revolutionary discovery in 1925, and about star formation in an afterword, Larson makes explicit her message to readers who burn to find out and to understand. "Cecilia proved not only what makes a star but also what makes a star scientist: curiosity, passion, hard work, and belief in oneself." The swirling, whirling vortex cuts a dramatic figure in Roy's glimmering starscapes; in the overset panels, Payne and her fellow students and associates, all White presenting, are drawn with sketchy grace in period dress and settings. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A luminous thematic pairing. (timeline) (Picture-book biography. 7-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Kirsten W. Larson used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. She is the author of Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane and A True Wonder: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything , along with several forthcoming titles. She lives near Los Angeles, California, with her family.



Katherine Roy is the award-winning author and illustrator of many science-based books for kids, including her Sibert Honor book Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands and How to Be an Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild . She is also the illustrator of Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere and of Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars . She lives with her husband and sons in Oregon, where she loves gazing up at the stars.