What have you decided to do today after breakfast?
Build a rocketship?
Explore outer space?
That’s just what our adventurous character – Scout – has decided to do!
Zoom by Sha’an D’anthes is a fun and imaginative picture book that takes us on a journey with young Scout who is described as an inventor, explorer and a dreamer.
Scout has built a rocket ship and today is the day they are going to zoom off and explore the solar system.
Scout and the trusty rocket ship – Beattie – visit the planets and their personalities. Each planet is represented by a different animal and I found as I read this book out loud to young children that it really helped them to connect with these space beings which are so far away and can at times be difficult to understand.
Each planet smiles at Scout and Beattie, welcoming them to their zone and showing off just how big, small or coloured they are.
We even get to visit Pluto – who is so small and far away (and not a real planet by scientific standards) but very very helpful!
Sha’an’s illustrations are delicate and colourful. Each planet is really brought to life through the idea of an animal and the adventure Scout embarks on does not seem daunting when there are friendly creatures and a caring rocket ship along the way.
Zoom is a simple story but told so well. Children are engaged right from the start with the simplicity of always starting a day with a good breakfast. I also loved that the main character Scout was not outlined as being a boy or a girl so that both boys and girls can identify with being a scientist, adventurer and thinker!
What can you do with this book?
– Imagine what animals you think the different planets are like. Draw what they look like and how they act, using information about the planets to support the ideas.
– Design what you think earth would look like if you were in outer space.
– Start a diary with the words – But we all need our breakfast…..
-This picture book is full of adjectives – find as many as you can. Can any of these adjectives be replaced with a new adjective?
-CRASH, GATHUNK and FIZZ are all onomatopoeia words, can you think of some more that you might hear in outer space?
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