The Spark in Me

by Miguel Tanco

A young girl sees the world differently in this beautiful picture book exploration of physics.Everyone has their thing. Some people are dreamers. Some people are practical. Some people like to invent things. Our heroine isn't sure what her thing is. But she knows she has a lot of questions, like could she be faster than her own echo? If she built a giant paper boat, could she sail the sea? And how strong would she need to be to launch another kid into orbit from a teeter-totter? Eventually, she learns that all her questions have to do with one physics!In this thoughtful and gorgeous ode to the search for knowledge and finding one's passion, phsyics becomes a way for our heroine to ponder the magic of the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Stem, Science, Childrens

56 pages, Hardcover

Published September 10, 2024

About the author

I’m a children’s book author and illustrator. I teach illustration and organizes creative workshops around the world. I had published over 40 children’s books including You and Me, Me and You (Chronicle books 2017) Les Farfelus (Les Fourmis Rouges 2015) , Sing me a song (Edelvives 2015) Una jirafa mia (Sm Brazil, 2014), Un caramel Amarillo (Edelbra Brazil, 2014),, Cuentos para dormir y soñar (Edicio- nes SM, 2012), El papá que no sabía contar cuentos (Pintar-Pintar, 2012), Cyrano de Bergerac (Repubblica-Espresso, 2011).

I received awards including the Bologna Book Fair Mention, 2010-2012, Children’s Show N.o 9 of 3×3 Magazine of Contemporary Illustration 2014 and 2016 ,The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles West 51 Mention, The AOI mention of Illustration 2016. Golden award at Association of illustrators of Los Angeles ILWEST55 2017 and illustration selected by New York society of illustrators 59 annual and exhibit 2017.

I live in Milan with my wife Federica and our two sons, Pablo and Javier.

Reviews

[Cheryl Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a retired preschool teacher, mother of seven and grandmother of two, I have read many children's books. This one stands out for many reasons. It is simple and the illustrations are wonderful - but it answers big questions. If water is clear, why is snow white? The little girl asks many questions, and then finds there are answers to all of her questions - physics! Not only that, but there is a 2 page spread for each of her questions, showing the physics of the answer in a way a child can understand. So great! Not only a storybook, but a science book as well.

Highly recommend this book!

[Abbigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think this book had much continuity or story, and i don't think it really distinguishes itself from other books about kids asking a lot of questions about the world. The main reason to read this book is that it actually goes out of its way to answer the questions at the end.

[donna backshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing STEM-engaging book for children. Find your spark (the thing that you are most curious or passionate about) and pursue it. You will be happy and you'll be able to contribute in helpful ways to your family, your community, and best of all, to nourishing your self.

The drawings are so engaging, and look somewhat tropical, so I'm guessing this little spark of a girl lives in an exotic northern part of South America. That's just me, dreaming like she does, but it fits?

The best part of the book is the My Physics notebook we get to read at the end, where we see the answers she researched and journaled. There is so much here in the details and sketches to show a child (or anyone, for that matter) that once you identify your spark, even if it's something intellectual and intimidating like physics, IT IS DOABLE.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This is a fascinating picture book designed so that even young readers/listeners can understand basic concepts related to physics. It is a great choice for reading aloud.

[Jesslaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spark in Me by Miguel Tanco is a book of great questions… and answers. A little girl introduces herself as one who is full of questions.

At first the questions the litter girl asks seem wild and unanswerable. Or they will at least to the target audience. They are fun questions that will get the imagination churning. They are questions that kids might actually be interested in finding answers to. They are questions that will spark confidence in kids to ask their own wild questions.

One day, she shares these questions in class and is delighted to learn that her teacher can help her find answers!

Off to the library they go! And the rest as they say is history.

But the answering of the questions doesn’t stop with reading a book. The little girl, with the help of her family, goes on to create a contraption to presumably answer one of her questions. I love the family involvement here!

The second half of the book includes a “physics” notebook. What a great way to introduce kids to keeping personal notebooks! This long held practice of the best educators and scientists is sorely lacking today! This book is an excellent beginning of the year library read aloud to encourage kids to check out the non-fiction section of the library.

I cannot leave this review without mentioning the illustrations. They are lovely. The soft watercolor and ink allow for a whimsical feel throughout the book. They are pleasing to the eye without the overwhelmingly bright and gaudy color pallet so often found in today’s children’s book section.

The “spark in me” ended up being physics but was mentioned only at the end of the story. I wish it had been mentioned before and had a thread throughout the book.

Thank you LibraryThing for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful children’s book. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are my own.

[Karla Fasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his latest work, Tanco presents us with the familiar figure of a naturally inquisitive child. Filled with a magnificent imagination and a desire to know how things work, she discovers that the answers lie in physics. In the first portion of the book numerous questions are posed, such as, “if the galaxy is packed with stars, why is it so dark?” Given the opportunity to share these ideas in class, the child learns from her teacher that the answers to her questions do exist. Driven by her interest, she begins her research and keeps a journal. She packs it with information and answers to her questions through the basic concepts of physics, such as gravity, buoyancy and more. The illustrations are warm and relatable, showcasing a culturally diverse, active family of five with a variety of interests. In this unique text that is both fun and educational, Tanco makes learning about physics accessible and achievable. However, due to the abrupt switch from narrative to informative text in the second half, this is recommended for readers at third grade level and above. This is definitely a tool that can be used in STEM and should be included in all school libraries.

Publishing Date September 10, 2024 ...Thank you to @Netgalley and @Tundrabooks for sharing an advanced digital copy with me to review. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young mind with a family full talent and personality searches for her own place: an artistic dreamer mother, an analytical and practical father, brothers who love to build. The only thing she knows for sure is that she loves to observe the world around her and wonder at all the things she says. Fortunately for her a helpful teacher and a great book (courtesy of the library) provide the answers she's looking for: it all comes down to physics.
We glide through her world with the eyes of a child, simplistic illustrations evoking peace and wonder, and are intrigued by the questions she brings up. After discovering physics, she creates a book of her own, providing insight to the reader that helps answer the questions brought up (why is outer space dark, could I walk on the ceiling, why is snow white if water is clear, etc) with explanations that are simple to understand but don't underestimate children's ability to understand complex topics.
The Spark in Me encourages readers young and old to dive in to find answers to those things they find interesting and to keep observing and asking questions about the world around them.
#ReadTundra

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spark in Me is a simple book introducing children to some principles of physics. The main character is a young girl. She has a mom, dad, and brother, although they don't really play a role in the story. She has some questions that other children might have and then provides a simple explanation at the end. I think it makes physics accessible to younger learners. I wish there was more of a story line so that I could connect a with the girl a little more. The illustrations are simple and muted. I think it's a good book, but not necessarily one that I would tell other teachers or parents they "had" to get. I wish it had a little more "story" to it.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book has cute illustrations and is very unique, as a little girl asks imaginative and sometimes silly questions about her world, and then learns that physics can provide answers to her questions. The story ends with her discovering this new interest, and is followed by pages that answer each of her questions with short descriptions and diagrams. This book is a great way to encourage creativity and spark an interest in STEM.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kami Mauldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a very engaging picture book for littles but also for elementary kids who are ready for bigger ideas around physics and the questions they have in life. That sounds broad, but all the “why” questions that kids have can sometimes be moved towards a conversation about physics and this book is a great tool to start the brain working that way. My 3rd grader is into robotics and I think he’d be interested in holding this book in his hands and reading through the physics journal. He loves explanations and reason. Will purchase a copy for my little thinker!

[Jeff Siperly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an early reviewer.
And glad I did.
Because I loved it!! So freaking precious.
The illustrations were fun, sweet, joyful, lots of movement.

A book that lets you know inquisitive kids are the best kids.
And it’s even better when the parents engage with their children.

Was a pleasant surprise to find some of the answers to the questions the little girl had. And in the simplest terms.
At 58 I’m still dumbfounded by how light/color works. I wish I’d liked science as much now as I did back then.

Highly recommend this book.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't enough picture books for young kids to help them develop their interest in physics. This adorable picture book shows how some of the normal questions inquisitive kids have can be answered with physics.
Kids ask a lot of questions, and this book shows how kids can learn to answer their own questions. I highly recommend this for all young readers and listeners.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Mary Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for this e-copy of The Spark in Me by Miguel Tanco in exchange for a honest review. This book is the perfect book on Physics for the early elementary student(Grades1-3) . The little girl has many questions in the book such as why is space dark even though there are so many stars and can a child sail in a paper boat? The answers at the back of the book answer each of her questions. Perfect for the young scientist.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the diversity this book showed right from the beginning. Drawings are soft and clear. Great questions that I think align with young audience questions. The end of the book where questions get answers are definitely, in my opinion, a bit much for a young reader who is just getting started with reading - but overall great easy explanations. I loved the first half of the book, the second half (explanations) felt textbook like. Wish made that maybe had more pictures or colors.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

This cool book takes you places you don’t expect… physics!! The girl in this book asks great questions all around and I love that the answers are provided at the end. Combine the questions with the fun and interesting illustrations, you can’t help but keep turning the page to see what our heroine will think of next. A wonderful way to quickly get kids interested in physics and how you could use physics in everyday life and daydreams.

[sweet orange books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl starts asking question about the world around her, and her teacher helps her find her answers via the world of physics. This is really how a kid thinks, and I liked it a lot :)

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

[Jessie]

I like all the wondering in this, and it is physics! The backmatter is really needed to make this feel complete, I think, and it is... mixed in quality and correctness. I recognize that things need to be simplified for this audience, but some of the answers are pretty blatantly wrong (gravity on the insect is not weaker, for example).

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that the child could be any gender, despite the blurb labeling her as a girl. I'm distracted by the hairstyle and some other aspects of the art. But I absolutely *love* the STEM aspect - yay Physics! Yay the clear answers (found in the library!) given in the back!

I very highly recommend this book to parents and other educators, esp. w/ kids age 6-12.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kudos for the depiction of a girl with a big imagination that asks a lot of questions AND a scientific mind that seeks answers along with an inquisitive spirit that seeks to describe her experience and the nature of her world. Whimsical illustrations engage both sides of the brain for dreamers and scientists alike.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and funny celebration of curiosity and physics.

Themes: Curiosity, Be Yourself, Physics, STEM
Age range: Preschool-First Grade

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to WHY we care about physics and where our questions can lead :)

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the focus on finding what interests you and asking questions. I also appreciate the focus on physics with clear scientific explanations to her questions at the end.

[Madison Bowman-Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute baby’s 1st physics book lol

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great intro to physics and great for discussing being a self-directed learner.