Just Like an Astronaut

My son (10) and daughter (7) loved this book! My kids are very different- one is quiet and shy and this gave my child confidence to speak up and be curious! The other child is always worried what others think and has self doubt. This book reminded my other child that curiosity is to be embraced! This book was also a wonderful reminder of the importance of curiosity. We as grown ups sometimes loose our curiosity and will to be uncomfortable, or ask hard questions. Our family felt this book reminded all ages to be confidence you and never let go of the gift of curiosity! We also really enjoy the illustrations and hope this author keeps writing:)

What a wonderful read for all humans, not just for would-be astronauts! While my own daughters have aged waaay out of the target age bracket for this one, it was still an emotional (in a great way) read for me. The author and illustrator combined to do such a wonderful job of helping me as reader see inside the anxiety of the young hero(ine). This made me reflect on memories from both my own childhood and those of my girls. I love how resilient kids can be, but it is always a great reminder to adults to be more intentional with our words and actions. And here, this is all done with subtlety and a great ending!SPOILER ALERT: There are no words for how I felt seeing Mr. Raymond explain to Sarah how Grace must have been feeling at lunch. And the author (to her vast and undeniably-deserved credit) was not compelled to use any.HIGHLY recommended. Enjoy!

Just Like an Astronaut is a wonderful addition to our third grade classroom library! My students enjoyed following along with Grace on her journey as she dealt with her emotions and anxieties (and ultimately over came them). It was amazing seeing them connect with the main character in so many different ways. My students agreed that they had many of the same questions as Grace! We even read the answers to all of Grace’s questions that author Jodie Antypas shared on social media. (Awesome!) Plus we learned some really great lessons from the story: Always be curious. Don’t give up on your dreams. Asking questions helps us learn. Be yourself. I will be reading this to my students every year from now on. Thanks for a great book!

This was a great read for me and my three kids. What was so impressive to me was the different positive messages that each took out of it at their ages. It opened up a great dialogue between myself and my 11 year old about times she had felt ashamed of being curious, "nerdy" or too inquisitive. It got my 8 year old thinking about the questions she could ask to make her egg drop device even better. It got my 5 year old to ask a whole lot of new WHY questions and feel good about doing so. Overall a great read that more importantly led to cool discussions :).

Perfect for my young children - age 4 and 6 - who have many questions about the world (and love space!). This book helps kids understand that asking questions and making mistakes are good things that help them grow and learn, and that their role models do these things too!

I bought this book for my grandchildren, mostly because I know the author who grew up with my sons. I remember Jodie was always curious as a child and grew up to be very successful. My 5 year old granddaughter really enjoyed the book and had lots of questions about where curiosity leads you. Great book!

I have read this book with girls and boys and it always leads to a discussion on bravery, belief in yourself and the power of curiosity. Such a good reminder of the importance of wonder. Super cute and a great gift!

I bought this book for my curious 6 year old daughter. Every week she wants to grow up to be something different than the week prior. This book was a true delight to read. Highly recommend for young girls (and boys too)!