The Skies Above My Eyes

By Author / Illustrator

Charlotte Guillain, Yuval Zommer

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Aurum Press

ISBN

9781910277683

Format

Hardback

Published

16-08-2018

Synopsis

Have you ever looked up and wondered what's going on high up in the skies above your eyes? Take a journey up into the air, through the atmosphere, way out into space and back down to Earth in this richly illustrated concertina book.

Zoom past the technology that fills our skies, from helicopters, fighter jets, weather balloons, to satellites, hang-gliders and hot-air balloons. Discover the insects and animals that whizz through the skies, explore the layers of the atmosphere, and travel through the solar system and out to the galaxies far beyond. The follow up to The Street Beneath My Feet, which dug down to the center of the Earth, this expansive concertina book opens out to an impressive 2.5 metres, perfect for inquisitive young minds.

Begin your journey from the sidewalk of a busy city. Look up beyond the traffic lights, utility wires, and skyscrapers. Unfold the connected pages to reveal the incredible man-made sights that you would see 20 kilometres above (a weather balloon), 50 kilometres above (a rocket blasting a capsule into space), 100 kilometres above (a space plane and satellites), 400 kilometres above (the International Space Station), 380,000 kilometres above (the Moon) and through our Solar System.

Turn to the top of the other side to make your way beyond the Solar System to the hundreds of billions of galaxies filled with stars and planets we haven't discovered yet. Then start your journey back down through the amazing natural wonders you would see 10,000 kilometres above (a comet), 85 kilometres above (meteoroids burning up as they enter Earth's atmosphere), 11 kilometres above (a cumulonimbus cloud bringing thunder and lightning), 8 kilometres above (migrating storks), and down through the mountains, past trees, bats and butterflies to finally reach the ground again - this time in a grassy clearing of a forest, where you can imagine yourself lying on your back wondering at the thought of the whole universe above your head.

From jet trails to comets' tails, enjoy amazing sights as you journey through the skies.

Explore even more of the world with The Street Beneath My Feet (March 2017) and The World Around Me (October 2020), companion books from the Look Closer series.

Reviews

A beautifully illustrated book with an unusual layout. This book has a pull out page which keeps on extending! It starts on the Earth and moves upwards through the atmosphere. As it moves up through the sky, there are beautiful pictures of what you may find, along with interesting facts. This is a really useful book to allow children to think about what could be above them and it will make them realise just how far the skies really do stretch! Included in the pictures and facts are different forms of transport including hang-gliders, fighter jets and helicopters. There are also lots of different animals before it explores the different layers of the atmosphere. The book travels through the solar system and out to the galaxies beyond before returning back down to Earth. The facts are small snippets of information so it won't overload children but it will hopefully inspire them to go and find out more! I would recommend this book as a great addition to any classroom or story collection at home to power inquisitive minds! 20 pages / Ages 7 + / Reviewed by Lucy Newton, teacher