Download Your Copy The Day The Universe Exploded My Head: Poems To Take You Into Space And Back Again Devised By Allan Wolf Distributed In Paper Edition

Day the Universe Exploded My Head by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Anna Raff, POETRY PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick,

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Wolf has written and Raff has illustrated a host of very clever poems about the objects, forces, and people in our solar system.
Included are two voice, three voice, and even four voice poems for group performance, but really every poem in here begs to be read aloud, sung aloud, rapped aloud.
I cant imagine a science class that wouldnt be enhanced by these poems, And what a great idea for a crosscurricular activity,

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
sitelink blogspot. com/ A MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review,

This book is set up like a picture book but is definitely not for picture book readers,

I would say this book is for a chapter book readership but because of the content, the beautiful artwork and engaging information, it needed this format to be truly appreciated.
I would even go as far to say that it would make a great school library book,

The author approaches the topic of astronomy and science by writing information regarding the universe in verse, The illustrator adds fun artwork to compliment the verse and help with the understanding of the information the author provides, One would not succeed without the other so this dynamic team of writer/illustrator is perfect for this book,

Some of the wording is harder for first readers but should be okay for older children, This book is agreat resource for science/astronomy for schools and a perfect teaching tool, There are notes at the back to fill in some gaps that the author added,

Children will enjoy this book and find tons of information for them to absorb while turning the pages, It could create a larger interest in space, planets,, etc, as well. Parents of younger children

interested in space could sit with their child and help with the harder parts, but overall, Id say this book is educational, engaging and entertaining.
Genre: Poetry
Grade Level:

I liked how this collection was formatted, but the writing just wasnt for me, Some of the poems had different “reader” or parts, which would be so fun in a classroom, I also know students would like how the poems were formatted to look like planets or were all over the place, like, Although this collection wasnt for me, I think it could be useful in a classroom still, Hang on tight for a raucous bounce through the solar system and back propelled by funny, fanciful, factually sound poems and exuberant illustrations,

The universe poured into me,
My brain was overloaded,
It smoked and glowed redhot,
And then
it actually exploded,

Ever wonder what the sun has to say about being the closest star to Earth Or what Pluto has gotten up to since being demoted to a dwarf planet Or where rocket ships go when they retire Listen closely, because maybe, just maybe, your head will explode, too.
With poetry that is equal parts accurate and entertaining and illustrations that are positively out of this world this book will enthrall amateur stargazers and budding astrophysicists as it reveals many of the wonders our universe holds.
Space travelers in search of more information will find notes about the poems, a glossary, and a list of resources at the end, Everyth grade teachers and up who teaches about space needs this book! "The universe poured into me,
My brain was overloaded,
It smoke and glowed redhot, And then
it actually exploded, "

I read this entire book to myyear old in one sitting, We both loved the playful language, humor, and interesting facts embedded in every poem, Anyone interested in astronomy will find this a delightful read, Whimsical illustrations enhance the well chosen words to create a true work of art, A few standout poems:

"Shooting Stars: Perseid Meteor Shower Poem for Three Meteors"
"Venus: Cme Live with Me and Be My Lunch"
"Going the Distance Rap for Two Voices"
"The Rusty Rockets Retirement Garden: Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida Poem for Four Aging Rockets"

Also includes a Glossary of Selected Space Terms and Internet Resources Thanks to Candlewick for my advanced copy of this book!
Filled with so much poetry and facts about our universe, I understand why Allan Wolf's head exploded! Black and starry sky illustrations by Anna Raff stay in the background, showing other places and things as comical, amusing, oh so expressive creatures in the universe.
Allan begins with the sun, "The simple truth may come as a surprise:/the closest star is right before your eyes, " and carries us through a trip throughout our universe learning about the planets, their moons, comets and black holes, explains AU astronomical units, offers a nod to space history, like Sputnik, eclipses, a page of early rockets, plus the long title poem of why and how the universe exploded Allan's head! Poems vary, with free verse and rhyme, some for two and three voices, brief shouts and longer ones that explain in clever wordsmithing about the topics.
One favorite, "For Those Who Light The Candle" for the astronauts and cosmonauts who have given their lives to travel into space, ends with
"For all who dare escape this ball of clay,
these brave ascending angels light the way, "
Endnotes include additional notes on the poems, a glossary of selected space terms, internet resources, and acknowledgments, The book holds an incredible amount of space knowledge in clever, nonfiction poems, I purchased this for our high school librarythought it might be fun for students taking astronomy or in the poetry club to have a little bit of fun with these poems.
The notes on the poems, the glossary of selected space terms, and the internet resources at the back of the book add to the educational value of the book.
Stunning!!! Pictures were lovely, engaging, and fun, but poetry really stood up to its title: it absolutely blew me away! The rhythm, rhyme, and fact are all so spot on, so perfectly blended, we read it again and again and didn't want to return it to the library! My elementary school daughter was so excited to read the multi voice poems together.
We had a BLAST with those! She was only disappointed that some needed more than two voices, til we decided Mommy me could do two different sounding voices for them.
This was the best new book we found this year for my young readers, and I know we need our own copy now! I love the poems of the universe/space! Planet X is one of my favorites!! Cant wait to use in my classroom! Im an elementary school librarian, and this book was actually nominated for a childrens book award in my state.


I have over a thousand students in my building that Im supposed to encourage, with a straight face, to read this piece of garbage at some point during the school year.


I dont think that I can do itthese “poems” are so poorly written, that they are practically unreadable, They are not at all funny, interesting, or informative, They are, in fact, so bad that they actually discourage any interest in astronomy and space exploration, I appreciate the humor in these poems and the personification of the planets, While some poems work well, reading aloud with pizzazz, others are not as smooth or distinctive, These are chockoblock full of scientific words, so best for slightly older audiences ages, This was so fun to read! I would definitely recommend this for any middle graders interested in astronomy and/or poetry, A collection of space poetry, Some for more than one voice, Cool illustrations enhance the text, The Day the Universe Exploded My Head shines the light on North Carolinabased author Allan Wolf and is a fun, informational text about the universe, solar system, and astronomy that is written in the form of poems.
Through its use of humor and beautiful illustrations, this book tells the story of each of the planets, important people and moments in the history of space exploration, The Kennedy Space Center, and even includes a memorial page dedicated to those who have lost their lives traveling and exploring space.
To top things off, space fanatics who wish to explore further can find notes, a glossary, and even a list of resources at the end.


The Day the Universe Exploded My Head would be a fantastic book to use with students in grades, or even higher, Not only will this book provide for crosscurricular opportunities between reading and science, but the various styles of poetry and figurative language make this text an amazing choice to support a poetry/figurative language unit in class.
This book contains an abundance of rich vocabulary to assist in language development, and the colorful illustrations and playful personification expose the readers to facts in ways that are sure to keep them engaged.


I considered this a WOW book because I absolutely adored the method in which the author and illustrator presented the content, The sweet and funloving way he brought the planets to life and had them tell their personal story had me blown away! My favorite of course was Earth: Your Mother Ill Be, but they were all so unique and creative that it was hard to choose.
There are also many ways to engage students with this text, which is another reason I considered it a WOW book, For example, students can research spacerelated topics and write their own poems, create a new, imaginary planet and personify it to tell its personal story, or even pull other informational articles related to space to compare with the information presented in this book.
Although this is a picture book, I think the contentrich vocabulary makes it a wonderful option for readers of all ages, I give this bookand would highly recommend it it is a true work of art!
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