Planet Earth Is Blue

April 8, 2019
Autistic astronomy lover Nova Vezina is 12 years old in January 1986, and although she rarely speaks, she understands much more than people give her credit for. Her older sister, Bridget, is the only person who really sees her, but when Bridget runs away, Nova is placed in yet another foster home, this time alone. To cope, she counts down the 10 days to the Challenger shuttle launch, which Bridget promised to watch with her. In the meantime, her new foster family works hard not only to understand and support Nova, but also to encourage her teachers and social worker to see her in a new light. Readers familiar with the Challenger’s fate will recognize the approaching tragedy, but the love of Nova’s new family envelops her when its harsh reality hits. Debut author Panteleakos develops a believable, authentic point of view through Nova’s letters to her sister (called “scribbles” by her teacher), which distill her own memories, sensitivities (“pencils scratch papers, which bothers my ears”), and interests alongside 1980s attitudes about autism. A sensitively told story that may help young readers stretch their compassion and empathy. Ages 8–12.

Narrator Dylan Moore's slow, even pacing gives voice to 12-year-old Nova, a nonverbal foster child on the autism spectrum who is counting down the days to the promised return of her runaway sister, Bridget, on the day of the space shuttle CHALLENGER's launch. In flashbacks, listeners hear Bridget's fierce, protective love for Nova in her tough tone, which is sharp with the anger of someone who is forced to grow up too quickly. Moore gives memorably distinct voices to each of the students in Nova's special needs classroom, as well as to Nova's new foster family. Moore's portrayal of Nova is wonderfully nuanced, realistically voicing her attempts at speech, her happiness as she begins to thrive in her foster home, and her mounting unease as the story moves toward its heartrending climax. S.C. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine