Always Beginning: The Big Bang, the Universe, and You

by Candace Savage

For kids with big questions comes a mesmerizing celebration of the universe and our place in it, perfect for STEM learning.

The story of the universe is enough to send our minds spinning with wonder! This awe-inspiring picture book explores the science behind the start of our universe and how we came to be a part of it, from the Big Bang and the beginning of life on Earth all the way up until today.

Designed for readers 4-8, Always Beginning
Told with reassuring warmth and mesmerizing art, Always Beginning captures the immensity and strangeness of our galaxy.

Genres: Picture Books, Science

44 pages, Hardcover

Published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[MKF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much of a story and not a lot of real information in the story until you reach the end of the book. There's a timeline using the illustrations then two pages of information on the big bang and life. The illustrations are unique but not my favorite because of them be muted and some details difficult to see due to coloring. It's a good book for parents who want to introduce their kids to the Big Bang and the story of life.

[Tyle Stelzig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the history of the universe, from the big bang through the formation of the solar system and evolution of life on earth. The illustrations are beautiful. The text is sparse, poetic, and evocative.

The illustrations, like the text, take some poetic license, with layered and metaphorical meanings - for example a family holding a baby universe in their hands and gazing at it with wonder, or new universes sparking inside a child's eyes. This was sometimes confusing/mildly annoying for my extremely literal-minded 3.8 year old. But he still loved the book. For about a week it was near the top of his rotation, and he would excitedly read it to us and ask questions. Tiktaalik temporarily became a staple of his imaginative story-telling.

Parents might want to read the very nice end material first to better answer some of the many questions the text will lead to.

For something a bit more literal in the same genre, we absolutely loved The Big Bang Book, by Asa Stahl and Cary Allen-Fletcher. On evolution, we loved Grandmother Fish, by Jonathan Tweet, and Our Family Tree, by Lisa Peters.

[Paul Sutter]

ALWAYS BEGINNING, studies the creation of the world, but it is not the beginning one would read about if they followed the Bible. Candace Savage is noted for more than two dozen books, and this one is certainly most interesting.
It is short on actual copy, but the illustrations from Rachel Wada, helps the book speak for itself. The notion of the world was at one time inside an egg, and then everything split from the egg, forming the stars, planets, galaxies, then life itself slowly came into being, through the creatures found on the planet.
We are not only told this through the myriad of illustrations that capture one’s attention on every page, but also the timelines at the back of the book, that explain in more detail the various eras. It talks as well of the Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago, along with various stages in that creation. It is recommended for those children who ask about the world around them, and theories of how it all began.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously illustrated, interpretive, and lyrical account of the widely-held science theory of the launching of our universe. Each page suggests (usually in silhouette) that a parent and child are viewing that mind-boggling process and span of time from a safe perspective but one that suggests patterns and components seen in actual science images or simulated ones from scientific records.
I see real value in sharing this with quite young audiences, even though their capacity to fully grasp such an expansive and abstract account of our physical history is limited. It would implant the language and the awe of vast spans of time and space and powers beyond our human domain.
Quite a bold attempt to deal with such a topic for this audience, and well executed.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s amazing how Candace Savage so beautifully recounted 13.8 million years worth of cosmic and earthly events into so few words. Combined with lyrical text, the celestial illustrations create a stunning view of the creation of our universe, beginning with the Big Bang.

Back matter includes a timeline of events with more detailed information.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting with the universe as a seed, this book shows how water and planets and LIFE formed from this seed. Beautiful.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful basic look at the timeline of earth and the galaxy forming.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magically beautiful introduction to evolution and the origin of our universe

[Robin Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started with a seed.