Fall 2025      Volume 53, Number 4

Empowering Readers with Books: Secrets and Surprises in SPACE!
By Kathleen A. Paciga and Melanie D. Koss

Document: Column  

Introductory Paragraph:  Space has long captured the human imagination—a vast, mysterious frontier filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered and surprises that challenge what we think we know. For children, stories set in space offer more than just rockets and stars; they invite readers to dream big, ask questions, and explore the unknown. Whether grounded in scientific fact or soaring through speculative fiction, space-themed books can spark curiosity, nurture wonder, and encourage critical thinking. They also provide powerful metaphors for identity, belonging, and discovery—what does it mean to feel out of place, to search for home, or to find light in the darkness? In this column, we highlight books that take readers on journeys across galaxies and into themselves, reminding us that the universe is full of possibilities—and so are they.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.33600/IRCJ.53.4.2025.42

Page Numbers:   42-47