About this item
A poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne!. Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn't start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe. With lyrical, evocative text by Kirsten W. Larson and extraordinary illustrations by award-winning illustrator Katherine Roy, this moving biography powerfully parallels the kindling of Cecilia Payne's own curiosity and her scientific career with the process of a star's birth, from mere possibility in an expanse of space to an eventual, breathtaking explosion of light.
About the Author
Kirsten W. Larson used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. She's the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane, illus. Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020) , A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything, illus Katy Wu (Clarion, 2021) , and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars are Made Of, illus. Katherine Roy (Chronicle, 2023) , THE LIGHT OF RESISTANCE, illus. Barbara McClintock (Roaring Brook, 2023) as well as 20 nonfiction books for the school and library market. Originally from Virginia, Kirsten lives near Los Angeles with her husband, lhasa-poo, and two curious kids. Find her at kirsten-w-larson.com or on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest @KirstenWLarson.
