My Place in Space

Henry tells the bus driver exactly where he lives, positioning himself precisely in the universe.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- A bus driver injudiciously asks Henry Wilson and his sister Rosie if they know where they live, and Henry obliges in giving his address--extended to the nth degree. As darkness falls and the streets of the small Australian town buzz with all sorts of strange activity, Henry continues his explanation, giving the bus driver an astronomy lesson that omits only the mind of God from the "complete" address. The darkening sky contains precise, almost photographic renderings of the astral phenomena being named, while the goings-on in the village, including a bank robbery, a small green alien wandering about, and signs that keep mutating slightly, are portrayed in scraggly cartoons reminiscent of James Stevenson's work. The mixture works perfectly, and while the bus involved isn't Joanna Cole's "Magic School Bus" (Scholastic), it is certainly an entertaining package that will introduce youngsters to astronomy, add humor to primary-grade science lessons, or just keep the kids occupied as they try to see all that's going on in the detailed drawings a la Waldo .
-Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The authors cleverly blend fact with fiction in this unusual picture book. When an arrogant bus driver asks Henry and his sister Rosie if they know where they live, Henry answers affirmatively, and goes on to tell the driver a good deal more than just his address: the boy launches into a lengthy and lucid explanation of the solar system, solar neighborhood, galaxy and supercluster to which Earth belongs. As he talks, accurate and beautiful renditions of the solar system (and beyond) are seen overhead. Meanwhile, down below on a local street, there are many eye-catching happenings--in a building identified as "Bank" a robbery occurs; the culprits are apprehended and jailed in the same building, which has been changing names and is now suitably labeled "Tank." A number of subtle and not-so-subtle alterations take place in the whimsical, double-tiered pictures that combine the work of two skillful artists. The result is an imaginative book that will prove both instructive and entertaining. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.