A Search for the Northern Lights

February 1, 2020

K-Gr 3-In this informational picture book, a young girl is fascinated with celestial phenomena. After watching a solar eclipse, Alix yearns to also witness the beauty of auroras. The child does her research and learns where the best viewing spots are in the world. Science facts are straightforwardly conveyed: "Auroras erupt in 27-day cycles. The new moon is coming up, too. That makes it dark, and even easier to see." Alix jumps at the chance to join her mother on a trip to Alaska, and together they look for the "nighttime rainbow." Although rainy weather prevents them from seeing a full display, the sky-watchers catch a glimpse of a spectacular "green glow" and hope for more sightings. They also take a road trip to Montana's Glacier National Park. Lee's acrylic illustrations show swirling Northern Lights and birch trees below bathed in deep purple and blue luminosity. Back matter provides further scientific information, along with a "Step-by-Step Guide to Aurora Hunting." VERDICT A STEM-worthy addition to collections.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2020
A young girl and her mother chase the aurora borealis. After viewing a solar eclipse, Alix worries that she'll never see anything so wonderful again. Her mom's passing comment that auroras are "pretty cool" gets the girl researching, and before long, she's managed to tag along on her mom's Alaska work trip (Alix pays for her own ticket). The two pet a reindeer calf (though its antlers indicate it's at least 3 years old in the illustration) and go dog sledding, but they see only a faint green glow in the sky. Undaunted, they visit Glacier National Park, where they see a green arch overhead, but it's right in their own Pacific Northwest neck of the woods that they see the spectacular light show they longed for, aided by an app that sends out aurora alerts. Unfortunately, the vast majority of science facts are found only in the dense, text-heavy backmatter, which explains the science behind eclipses and auroras, describes how to hunt for them and the best conditions for seeing them, and provides further resources. Lee's nature scenes can be luminous, the colors at their best seeming to glow on the pages and beckon readers in. In contrast, the indoor scenes and views of the white-presenting mother and daughter can be awkward and pull readers out of the wonder that is the great outdoors. A mixed introduction to the aurora borealis that nevertheless may have readers itching to start hunts of their own. (Picture book. 5-8)

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