“Every tiny atom in your body came from a star that exploded long before you were born.”
Think about that for a moment...isn't it incredible? We are made of stars. Carl Sagan and Albert Einstein talked about this and it is frequently mentioned by a variety of astrophysicists, astronomers and physicists on Discovery's How the Universe Works. I am deeply moved by it every time I hear it or think of it.
You Are Stardust begins by introducing the idea that every tiny atom in our bodies came from a star that exploded long before we were born. From its opening pages, the book suggests that we are intimately connected to the natural world; it compares the way we learn to speak to the way baby birds learn to sing, and the growth of human bodies to the growth of forests. Written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim, this innovative picture book, grounded in current science, aims to reintroduce children to their innate relationship with the world around them by sharing many of the surprising ways that we are all connected to the natural world. Soyeon Kim’s beautiful diorama art enhances the poetic text, and her creative process is explored in full on the reverse side of the book’s jacket, which features comments from the artist.
The next time you wonder or doubt the value of yourself or your existence, pause and consider that you are made of stardust. You and me and everything on our planet. We are part of a living, breathing organism. And you are just as valuable as each cell in your body. There is no one above you and no one beneath you. We are all interconnected. We are Life."Be still. Listen.
Like you, the Earth breathes.
Your breath is alive with the promise of flowers.
Each time you blow a kiss to the world, you spread pollen that might grow to be a new plant."
