In the spirit of SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS, this review was recorded. Listen here (or read the transcript below):
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Amanda: If you’re listening that means you must have found this recording floating somewhere out in space. I wonder what planet you’re from. Maybe Pluto? I guess that’s not a planet anymore. Maybe it’s one we haven’t discovered yet. I wonder what you look like. Maybe instead of fingers, you have silverware for fingers. And then you just can eat all the time. What do you think they might look like, Max?
Max: Hmmmmm. I think they look like something cool! Maybe they have Nintendos for brains.
Amanda: Nintendos for brains. Nice! Jane, what do you think they might look like?
Jane: I think they might look like they have this huge belly button. Yeah, huge. Like, uh, ten feet or something. And they have huge nostrils and most of their body is their head.
Max: *whispers* Mom!
Amanda: Oh, crazy.
Jane: And you have supersonic ears so you can hear a lot. Even in different galaxies.
Amanda: Nice.
Jane: What do you look like?
Amanda: We just finished listening to SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS by Jack Cheng and we listened to the audiobook and it was such a good audiobook, wasn’t it guys?
Jane and Max: mm-hmm
Amanda: What was your favorite part, Max?
Max: My favorite was when he launched the rocket!
Amanda: Oooh, that’s a good part. How ‘bout you?
Jane: My favorite part is when he finds his dog. Do you know what a dog is?
Amanda: That’s a good question. I wonder, do you think aliens have pets? And if they do, what kind of pets would they be?
Jane: Would they be slimy, icky pets like the Grimer of Pokemon moon?
Amanda: Maybe. Maybe. That’s possible.
SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS is a story about a little boy named Alex who leaves his house to go launch a rocket at a rocket festival. And on the way, he meets all kinds of people. A man who has taken a vow of silence and a college kid and he ends up finding his half-sister that he didn’t even know existed. Together, he charms…he charms all of these new people in his life and they all grow to love him. And that’s because Alex is so easy to love. You fall in love with him from the very first page. His enthusiasm for life is contagious. Jane, what did you like about Alex?
Jane: I like his astronomy jokes. And how he never gives up. Never, ever, ever!
Amanda: He definitely has some great astronomy jokes. Max, what did you like about Alex?
Max: I liked about him…making his rocket and caring for his mother.
Amanda: Yeah. So, SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS is about Alex leaving his house and going on a trip to launch a rocket at a rocket festival. And he’s hoping to put his golden Ipod with new sounds on it, much like the “golden record” that was launched into space by his hero, Carl Sagan. He wants to launch hi golden Ipod with his recordings on it on his rocket into space. And as he goes to the rocket festival and then everything that happens after he just…he learns how to be brave and how to tell the truth. He learns that people can be redeemeD. I think my favoritE part of the book was when he talked about those moments when we tell the truth, when we are brave, that those are the moments that really stand in time. Those are the moments when we exist through time. Like a tessaract. And I really loved that idea.
SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS is a perfect listen for young and old alike. My husband enjoyed listening to it, my kids enjoyed listening to it. I would recommend it to anyone.
Jane: Unless you have a green, slimy pet that loves to eat books and has goobers in her eyes.
Amanda: Yes, unless you’re an alien that likes to eat books, then you’re not allowed to read. because it’s too good for that.
Jane: I meant the alien’s pets.
Amanda: It’s too good for that. So, aliens, if you’re out there and if you’re listening, you should really check out SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS.
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Don’t miss the MG@Heart Book Club’s Twitter chat, where there’ll be further discussion of LOVE, SUGAR, MAGIC. It’s happening this Monday, March 6th, at 8 pm EST. Find it, and participate, using the #MGbookclub hashtag. See you there!
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