Cover Reveal: Dancing Through Space

Today, I’m thrilled to reveal the cover of the picture book biography Dancing through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights, written by Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud, and published by Albert Whitman with a release date of April 4, 2024.

This inspiring biography is about a curious girl named Mae who loved science and dance from a young age. Even as an adult, she devoted herself to both interests, studying medicine and practicing dance.

Eventually, she applied and was accepted to NASA’s astronaut training program! Then, Mae went to space in the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992. She was the first Black woman in space!

Read this biography with your children and students to learn about Dr. Mae Jemison’s incredible life.

Discuss what it might have been like to be her. Ask readers what they think about liking both science and art. What do they imagine it would be like for a Black woman thirty years ago to work to be an astronaut? And what steps did she take to achieve her goals?

Ready for the cover reveal?

What a beauty, right?

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About the Author, Lydia Lukidis

Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was shortlisted for a Silver Birch Express (Forest of Reading) award and THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST(Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

About the Illustrator, Cloud Sawyer

Sawyer Cloud is a freelance illustrator from Madagascar. A member of SCBWI, she is the illustrator of the picture books Jade Braves the Dark and Dear Mama’s Loving Arms. For more information visit www.sawyer.cloud/index.html.

Dancing Through Space description from the publisher:

The true story of Dr. Mae Jemison, whose lifelong passions of science and dance prepared her to become a trailblazing astronaut.

Today, Dr. Mae Jemison is famous for being the first Black woman to travel into outer space. But when she was growing up, she felt torn between two passions: science and dance. It seemed like an impossible choice. There had to be some way to make room for both―and Mae found one. As an adult, she combined her gifts of scientific logic and artistic creativity and became an astronaut.

KEEP READING