Teachers, I love a good companion book. A book from the same creator/s that is linked, structurally and/or topically, to a previous book. But it’s not a sequel. You don’t have to read the books in a certain order. But you know you can expect the same joy and magic that you got from the first book :>)
Enter Up, Up, High: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere, by Lydia Lukidis and Katie Rewse (and published by Capstone Editions). It’s a fabulous companion book to Lydia’s Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench, and you can click that title to read my post about that book.
Also, here’s my 5‑star review for this book:
UP, UP HIGH is a fabulous companion picture book to DEEP, DEEP, DOWN, Lukidis’ book about the deep ocean. This new lyrical nonfiction book takes the reader on a journey through the many layers of Earth’s atmosphere. From familiar items like mountaintops and satellites to unexpected, unfamiliar phenomena, such as Transient Luminous Events, we witness so many things in the atmosphere. Even though our atmosphere looks like vast emptiness from the ground, we get vivid descriptions of what we’re soaring by in our journey.
Sidebars on each spread give more scientific explanation. You can share just the main text with the dramatic art by Katie Rewse, and it feels like a fantastic journey. With older kids and/or on repeated readings, you can share the sidebar text and the fascinating back matter, too, for a deeper understanding of the wonders in our planet’s atmosphere.
Highly recommended for all classrooms and for curious readers!
Can you tell I love this book? I’m grateful to Lydia for taking the time to answer a couple of questions for me. Without further ado, heeeeeeeerrrrrrrre’s Lydia!
Lydia: Did I have to leave anything out?
Yup. I wrote a lot of back matter for the book before it got picked up. In the end, I had to cut a whole bunch of material from the back matter, which I understand because space is a premium in picture books. I also couldn’t include as much as I would have liked about Transient Luminous Events (TLEs). These are mysterious phenomena that occur high above storm clouds. But I’m happy I got to mention sprites!
[LPS: TLEs were totally new to me, and now I need to learn more about them!]
Lydia: Do I like being high in the air?
I’m pretty sure I’ll get this question a lot during my school visits so I’ll break it down here: I like being on the ground! Sounds funny considering the book I just wrote, but I often write about my secret passions and curiosities even if I don’t partake in them. I do fly in airplanes and I love hiking. Mountain climbing? Not so much. And would I ever sky dive? That’s a hard NO. So you can imagine my answer to whether or not I would ever space jump. I’m sweating just at the thought of it but I thoroughly loved reading and writing about it!
[LPS: I love knowing this. On a more pedestrian scale, I love writing about plants, even though I kill them. A friend just gifted me some aloe. Watch this space for news of its demise.]
Book synopsis:
Look up–into the blue and beyond. What do you see? The sky–our atmosphere–may seem empty or invisible. But is it? Using spare, lyrical language, author Lydia Lukidis (Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench) takes readers on an imagined journey up, up high to discover the surprising and wondrous things flying, floating, and happening between the treetops and the stars in this STEM-based picture book.
Want to know more about Lydia? She’s a generous kidlit author, a kind human being, and a super mom. Ohhhhh. You mean the more official stuff? And how to connect with her? Here ya go!
BIO for Lydia Lukidis
Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024) and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, and Cybils Award nominee. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Social Media Links
Thank you, Lydia, for sharing your wonderful book with us. Educators, you need this book in your classroom and school library. More than ever, kids need to know that there is more to the world than meets the eye.
[My Classroom Connections posts share a way to connect one of my books or poems to a classroom topic–often something timely that you might be covering in the next month or so. Please share this post if you have educator friends who might be interested–thanks!]