One Tiny Bubble

by Karen Krossing, Dawn Lo (Illustrator)

The wondrous true story of one tiny bubble that sparked all life on Earth―including yours

Meet LUCA―our Last Universal Common Ancestor, the itty-bitty organism that every unique life-form on Earth can be traced back to. This sprinkle-sized blob was formed from the dust of exploded stars, water, and a lot of heat. LUCA was a single cell that split into two, and these cells multiplied into more organisms that grew and changed. Over the billions of years that followed, the descendants of LUCA evolved into bacteria, mushrooms, sharks, fir trees, lions―and humans! All the extraordinary life on Earth began with LUCA, through a miraculous process that could also occur on other planets.

This vibrant and poetic informational picture book breaks down scientific concepts using simple, engaging language. Striking illustrations bring LUCA to life and reveal how readers are connected to one another, and every life-form on our planet, through one tiny bubble.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Science, Evolution, Canada

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 15, 2022

About the author

Karen Krossing wrote comics and poetry as a kid and dreamed of becoming a published writer. Today, she’s the author of many books for kids and teens, including picture books and novels. She won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada in 2015 and 2023 and has been a finalist for the Ontario Library Association White Pine Award and the Joan F. Kaywell Books Save Lives Award, among other honors. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she’s on faculty at Whale Rock Workshops.

For more about Karen, visit karenkrossing.com.

Reviews

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Krossing relates the story of our first universal ancestor with lyrical language that comforts and reassures. She explores a complex subject in a way that's understandable for the youngest reader yet doesn't talk down. This reads like a lullaby yet explores so much. It's a book that families will read together time and again.

[Kulveen Virdee · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favorite children’s book! The graphics and explanation of the origin of life in our small corner of the universe 🎯.

[Kirsten Pendreigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliantly simple and engaging introduction to evolution and our shared place in the universe, traces all the back to the very first genetic spark of life. While kids will marvel at the miracle of how we all began, ONE TINY BUBBLE is also a great tool for parents to help explain the complexity of our beginnings. Lyrical language and lively illustrations make this a compelling choice. Highly recommend!

[Karen Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This science book for kids explains the concept of LUCA, the last universal common ancestor. It explains it in engaging and simple prose and the illustrations are wonderful. A great addition to any collection of books for the curious, inquisitive kid.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonder-filled, kid-friendly story of LUCA’s origins—a tiny cell that led to the connecting of all life on our planet. Krossing brilliantly explains this big idea in an understandable manner, presenting what scientists know and the questions they are still pondering.

I like how personalized the story is from the start, introducing the reader to their “first family member,” LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor). The child-relevant comparisons are excellent, e.g. “tinier than a cupcake sprinkle” and you are “many cells held together by your skin.”

My favourite of the bright, eye-catching illustrations is the riveting, action-packed one of LUCA forming from exploded star dust. Backmatter provides more information about LUCA, a brief glossary, and sources to explore.

Highly recommended for curious readers of all ages.

[Paula Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The wondrous true story of one tiny bubble that sparked all life on Earth―including yours

Meet LUCA―our Last Universal Common Ancestor, the itty-bitty organism that every unique life-form on Earth can be traced back to.

This book provides a realistic understanding of how the human race developed and evolved. I would use this book during a science unit on evolution, as long as this lesson plan did not clash with a family's culture or beliefs. Resources in the back of the book are Words to Know, additional sources, and detailed information about LUCA.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This non-fiction text tells children about LUCA - Last Universal Common Ancestor and how life on earth all began. With beautiful pictures and fairly simple text, this very complicated idea becomes something that even young children can understand. It is a neat book and definitely worth giving a try if you or your child is super interested in biology and science. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this book!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells you about one tiny bubble nicknamed LUCA, for Last Universal Common Ancestor. All people and living beings come from this thing that was the size of a cupcake sprinkle. While it would be great to have more realistic illustrations, we don't know a lot about LUCA, so it makes sense for it to require more imagination. This would be a great read aloud for a STEAM program for young ones about the history of Earth. Once again, learning something new from juvenile non-fiction.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the author takes something that might seem so complicated to some of us and presents it at a primary level. For parents who want their children to have a solid understanding of science - this book is perfect. I think this is the author's first work of early children's lit. Most of her books are for older children. But I hope she and the illustrator continue to create more science books like this. I really loved the illustrations.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a terrific STEM book! Not only does it introduce readers to LUCA––our Last Universal Common Ancestor––explaining the science of LUCA's stormy formation in a clear, accessible and poetic way, but it also fosters a sense of kinship among all living beings, who all "belong to the oldest family on Earth." Illustrations by Dawn Lo are lively, playful and totally kid friendly. Highly recommend!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful--simple and moving!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very read-aloud-able book about our Last Universal Common Ancestor, which is not something I have ever really thought about before. It tackles a very specific topic in an accessible fashion, with additional information afterward, and bright and bold illustrations to complement the text. In doing this, the point is made quite clearly that we all come from one source, which should generate a sense of community and mutual obligation. We can only hope.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books like this! Tells us a bout LUCA - Last Universal Common Ancestor

[Maggie Zeng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and poetic story about our last universal common ancestor (LUCA) rendered in beautiful gouache/watercolor

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
Krossing shares information about LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) and takes readers on a journey from this first cell through forming everything on the planet. She explains what is known in language elementary level readers will understand and can follow. Lo brings LUCA to life in her artwork and captures what the world probably looked like at that time. Informative text and a glossary are included at the end of the book. Sources are also provided for further research.

[Sharlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

PENDING REVIEW
5.00 - Masterpiece

[Andy Tolson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Krossing’s latest picture book is a wonder! One Tiny Bubble tells the billion year saga of our Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) a tenacious and tiny organism formed from the dust of exploding stars, water and a whole bunch of heat. Krossing has taken a complex subject and made it engaging and fun, and the illustrations by Dawn Lo are full of life and colour. All that we know and experience on earth (including us humans) began with LUCA, and young readers will relate to this delightful tale of the little organism that could.

[gabby wicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

makes me feel emotional about history and where we've come from

[KMitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating picture book with kid-friendly explanation of the science of ancestry. Good read-aloud for older elementary students.

[Gayle Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful little book about the origins of life on Earth for little ones. Very cute illustrations and simplified scientific lesson about LUCA, our Last Universal Common Ancestor. It's great to see an accurate book about evolution for young kids. I've been trying to think of a more apt description of LUCA than "smaller than a cupcake sprinkle," but I can't. A cupcake sprinkle is considerably bigger than a single-celled organism, but it has to be something kids can understand. So cupcake sprinkle works, I guess.

[Mahtab Narsimhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) is a fascinating one. Krossing’s compelling prose describes the origins of all life on earth in a fun and accessible way. Lo’s vibrant illustrations provide just the right balance to explain this important concept to young readers. The glossary and end note about LUCA are a welcome addition for an avid reader wanting to dive deeper into this subject. LUCA is an important additional to the STEM collection of any library. Highly recommended.

[Jane Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when I find a book that teaches me something new. I especially love it when it’s something I can share with our young ones through a picture book. The illustrations in One Tint Bubble kept their eyes on the page. The story of LUCA was clear and uncluttered – perfect for engaging little listeners. And as a read-aloud, it’s lyrical. Everything about this book invites engagement. I highly recommend it as a must-have STEM Picture Book.

[Skyler Schrempp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness for lyrical non-fiction picture books! I so wish that there were more picture books that explore the wonder of science through poetry! Love this book and cannot wait to read it to my daughter.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have a common ancestor

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clorful picture book that tries to explain a complex subject in a kid-friendly way. My daughter and I both enjoyed the story of LUCA - our Last Universal Common Ancestor. Some of the science was a bit confusing (even for my older child), but the additional info at the back of the book helped answer some questions.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed by how accessible this non-fiction picture book made the concept of LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor). It explains this to kids in a way that they can understand, without talking down to them. Very well done.

[Sandra Appleby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Krossing distills the most complex and debated scientific concept of our time into a child-sized bubble we can not only wrap our imaginations around but our hearts as well. We are all connected.