A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars
by Seth Fishman (Author) Isabel Greenberg (Illustrator)
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book Winner of the Mathical Book Prize
"This picture book is one in a gazillion."--Jane O'Connor, the New York Times-bestselling author of the Fancy Nancy series
Did you know that the earth is covered in three trillion trees? And that seven billion people weigh about the same as ten quadrillion ants? Our world is full of constantly changing numbers, from a hundred billion trillion stars in space to thirty-seven billion rabbits on Earth. Can you imagine that many of anything? The playful illustrations from New York Times-bestselling artist Isabel Greenberg and the friendly, straightforward voice of author Seth Fishman illuminate some of the biggest numbers in the universe--a hundred billion trillion stars--and the smallest--one unique and special YOU. Here is a book for story time, for science time, for math time, for bedtime, and all the times in between. Perfect for curious children, classrooms eager for STEM content, and readers who have devoured Ada Twist, Scientist and How Much Is a Million?
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Publishers Weekly
In a book that encourages readers to observe the world with wonder and curiosity, Fishman (The Well's End) delights in throwing mammoth, even unfathomable figures at them, using estimation to round to the nearest billion or trillion as necessary. Beginning with the sun, Fishman explains that it's just one star among "(maybe) 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars." (In the corner of the spread, "a hundred billion trillion" appears, helping readers boggled by those 23 zeroes--or adults reading aloud.) He then rattles off staggering numbers about the planet and its inhabitants: 240,000 miles, the distance at which the moon orbits the Earth, "is about ten times around the earth, or almost 420,000,000 yous." Greenberg (The One Hundred Nights of Hero) illustrates in a chunky, cheery cartoon style, switching between scenes of interplanetary vastness and intimate ones of children reading, adding warmth to counterbalance the unwieldy numbers. An afterword dives deeper into the power of estimation and extrapolation when trying to make sense of things that seem unknowable at first glance. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit. Illustrator's agent: Seth Fishman, Gernert Company. (Sept.)
Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
Gr 2-4--Very likely breaking the record for the number of zeroes in a picture book, Fishman presents a tally of humongous figures--beginning with the estimated population of stars in the universe and going on to an "entire world" that is "filled with crazy numbers." The work focuses much more on how awesome and unimaginable these numbers are rather than explaining the intricacies of calculating them. No sources are provided for the totals and only at the end does Fishman admit that the strings of digits are at best ballpark estimates: "sort-of-definitely-ALMOST true." In addition, the author breaks the "-illions" down inconsistently without explaining until the endnote that terms like "billion trillion" and "sextillion" are equivalents. Greenberg places many of the strung-out sums against starry backdrops, with cartoon images of trees, animals, members of a diverse human cast, and other familiar forms, providing starting points for contemplating all those dizzying digits. VERDICT An imagination stretcher for younger audiences who enjoy marveling at mind-bending numbers.--John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
- Jessixa Bagley (she/her) is an award-winning children's book author/illustrator. Along with her book work she is a fine artist, comics creator, and teacher of writing and watercolor. In 2016 her picture book Boats for Papa won the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for best picture book text as well as Washington State Book Award for Children's Books. Her picture book Laundry Day received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. Many of her picture books are Junior Library Guild Selections including her latest picture books Henry and Bea and Daisy. Jessixa often illustrates for other artists and also collaborates with her artist husband, Aaron Bagley. She lives in Seattle with her husband and son.
- Armand Baltazar (he/him) was born 1967 in Chicago's North Side, not far from the famed Wrigley Field. He began his career in feature animation first as a background artist, then as a visual development artist, and art director for DreamWorks Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Image Movers Digital and Pixar Animation Studio. Working on these films rekindled his boyhood spark for writing and Armand began work on a personal project in his spare time. What began as a simple illustrated adventure story for his son would become the first illustrated novel in his series. Armand currently resides in Northern California with his family, working full time creating the art and stories for the epic illustrated middle grade adventure series Timeless for HarperCollins Publishing.
- Anna Bond (she/her) is co-founder and chief creative officer at Rifle Paper Co., a stationery, home and lifestyle brand based on Anna's hand-painted designs. Together with her husband Nathan, Rifle Paper Co. launched in 2009 as a two-person operation and has since grown into an international brand with products carried in over 6,000 stores around the world and employing over 100 people between their Winter Park, Florida and New York City offices. Born and raised in Summit, New Jersey, Anna received her bachelor's degree in graphic design before making her way to Orlando, Florida to work as an art director and later as a freelance illustrator before starting Rifle. She has been honored as an ADC Young Gun, spoken at Facebook HQ, designed a USPS postage stamp, and is featured in Grace Bonney's best-selling book In the Company of Women. Anna currently lives in Maitland, Florida with Nathan and their three young sons.
- Travis Foster (he/him) has been illustrating for more than 25 years. Some of his editorial and advertising clients include Target, Sony, Dell, Sprint, Disney, Rodale Press, Forbes, Simon & Schuster, The Wall Street Journal, Internet Week, Aetna and The Washington Post. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Jessica Hische (she/her) grew up in Pennsylvania. She currently lives in San Francisco, where she works as a letterer, illustrator, type designer, and relentless procrastiworker. Clients include Wes Anderson, Dave Eggers, The New York Times, Tiffany & Co., OXFAM America, McSweeney's, American Express, Target, Victoria's Secret, Chronicle Books, Nike, and Samsung. website: jessicahische.is twitter: @jessicahische.
- Tillie Walden (she/her) is a cartoonist and illustrator from Austin, TX. She is a graduate of the Center for Cartoon Studies, where she now teaches. As of 2022, she has published three graphic novellas with the London based Avery Hill Publishing and three with First Second Books, including her Eisner Award-winning memoir Spinning. She currently lives in Lebanon, New Hampshire with her cat Stan.
- Ethan Young (he/him) was born to Chinese immigrant parents in NYC. Young is an Eisner-nominated cartoonist, best known for NANJING: The Burning City, winner of the 2016 Reuben Award for Best Graphic Novel. His other works include The Dragon Path, Space Bear, and Life Between Panels. In addition to comic book work, Young is also a prolific freelance illustrator, having worked with Animation Domination HD on multiple cartoons for FXX.
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