Although the intended audience may be children, discerning, dreamy adults, too, will undoubtedly appreciate the thought-provoking layers in Canadian author/illustrator Todd Stewart's Little Moments in a Big Universe. A space explorer "in search of adventure" and a "smart and reliable" robot crash-land on an unknown planet. The explorer is understandably "weak with fear," while the robot soon realizes they're "the strange creatures here." The planet's inhabitants, however, are welcoming and helpful, ready to "share [their] stories" while the spaceship is repaired. After clean-up and celebrations, the spaceship and crew return to the sky. "I witness and understand," the universe beholds.
Stewart writes from multiple perspectives, the many "I"s belonging to all the elements touched by the explorer's journey: the robot, spaceship, forest, planet, solar system, galaxy, universe. When contact is made with the planet's people, the "I"s become an inclusive "We," acknowledging and honoring connection between locals and visitors. Seamlessly blending familiar planetary space-scapes with surreally inventive creatures, Stewart's technicolor images invite sharp eyes to appreciate the diverse details of fantastic landscapes and otherworldly explorations. --Terry Hong