Stargazing for Beginners

LoveReading4Kids Says

In a Nutshell: Reaching for the stars |   Astronomically uplifting treat in which witty, loveable, space buff Meg works to realise an out-of-this-world ambition.

Meg has a burning desire to become an astronaut, and is in the running to win a place on a trip to the NASA space station in Houston, if only she can overcome her gargantuan fear of public speaking. Then, when her free spirited mum jets off to Thailand on a volunteer project, Meg is left with the additional stress of looking after her baby sister. “Houston, we have a problem”, she tells her endearingly scatty physicist granddad, and she’s not wrong.

Inspirationally plucky, with a great big dream and a heart to match, what a role model Meg is for girls wanting to work in science, and an adorably shining example of how being yourself and standing out is far more enriching than compromising yourself to fit in. Feel-good funny, and radiant with the glow of true friendship, this comes highly recommended for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Cathy Cassidy. ~ Joanne Owen

A message from the author, Jenny McLachlan

Hello!

A few years ago, my dad said, ‘Jenny, have you ever thought of writing a book about a girl who wants to be an astrophysicist?’ I snorted – derisively – then pushed his ridiculous idea to the back of my mind. It was ridiculous because:

a) I wasn’t entirely sure what an astrophysicist did.

b) Despite Dad having asked me how many miles it was to the sun (every single day of my childhood), I’d somehow grown into an adult who knew nothing about space … except for how many miles it was to the sun (ninety-three million, give or take a few).

So how could I ever write about a girl who wants to be an astrophysicist? Well, I can’t resist a challenge, particularly one thrown down by my dad, and slowly the idea grew in my mind. The girl became Meg and her dream got bigger: she didn’t just want to be an astrophysicist, she wanted to be an astronaut. She wanted to leave planet Earth and float in space. If I was going to understand how Meg’s mind worked, I had to learn about the things she loved. I discovered that when we look at stars we’re gazing into the past, that our sun is just one of over one billion trillion stars in the universe, and that on Mars you can jump three times higher than you can on Earth. I looked into one of the largest refracting telescopes in the world and saw further than I’d ever seen before in my life.Thanks to Meg (and Dad!), my world has got bigger. About forty-six billion light years bigger. If you want to join Meg as she reaches for the stars, or just need a little space in your life, then turn the page. Her mission is about to begin! 

Jenny x                          

LoveReading4Kids

Find This Book In