What if a picture book could do more than just tell a story? What if it could spark your child’s biggest dreams and launch a lifelong passion for STEM?
This isn't a book that ends on the last page. Based on the core belief that Dreaming is Believing, When I'm an Astronaut is a unique conversation starter, written as a series of powerful affirmations to be shared between an adult and a child. Each page is a launchpad for discovery, nurturing a child's natural curiosity about science, space, and their own limitless potential.
The stunning illustrations are packed with scientifically accurate, real-life details, from the International Space Station to the Mars Rover, for you and your child to find together, turning storytime into an adventure.
Use this book to spark essential conversations about: • STEM concepts like physics, geology, and problem-solving • Courage, curiosity, and exploring the unknown • The importance of teamwork and perseverance • Believing in yourself and aiming for the stars
Written by surgeon and advocate Dr. Samantha Pillay, this book continues her mission to challenge gender stereotypes and inspire children, especially young girls, to lead in STEM.
Ideal for children aged 4 to 8, When I'm an Astronaut is an experience that continues to spark imagination long after the book is closed. Extend the journey with the companion Activity Book (sold separately) to deepen the learning with fun, educational exercises.
Give a gift that creates conversations that last a lifetime.
Dr Samantha Pillay OAM's journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Diagnosed late with congenital hip dysplasia, she underwent multiple corrective surgeries during her childhood. Despite starting school in a wheelchair, Samantha graduated at 16, graduating in medicine from the University of Adelaide in 1992. She broke new ground by becoming the first female urological surgeon in South Australia. In 2025 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to urology.
Driven by a vision to provide specialized incontinence treatments to women in South Australia, Samantha became the first urologist in Australia to focus exclusively on female and functional urology. In 2002 she founded Continence Matters, a Centre of Excellence in women's health.
Her leadership extends beyond her practice. Dr Pillay has held numerous influential positions, including serving as Chair of the Female Urology Special Advisory Group for the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand from 2007 to 2013. She was the first woman to represent South Australia on the Board of Urology from 2003 to 2006, the first female scientific convenor for their Annual Scientific Meeting in 2007, and the first female chair of the South Australian Urology section in 2017.
As a single mother, Dr Pillay has dedicated her career to addressing incontinence, reducing stigma, and educating medical professionals and the public. She developed an online Continence Course to fill gaps in medical education and ensure that healthcare providers are well-equipped to manage this often-overlooked condition.
She is a five-time international Amazon No. 1 best-selling author. Her first book, "The No Recipe Cookbook," is a unique guide for people who don't cook, offering an intuitive approach to cooking that saves time, money, and calories.
Following this success, as a strong advocate for breaking gender stereotypes and shattering the glass ceiling for women, she authored When I'm a Surgeon, the first book in the Inspirational Careers for Kids picture book and activity book series. The series continued with the release of Book Two, When I'm an Entrepreneur, Book Three, When I'm an Astronaut, Book Four, When I'm the President, and Book Five, When I'm the Prime Minister. These books aim to inspire children to pursue their dreams regardless of societal expectations.
When I’m the President has received the following accolades: • 2024 American Children's Fiction Award Winner • Golden Wizard 2024 Book Prize Winner • 2024 Firebird Book Award Winner • Reader's Favorite Five-Star Review • Global Book Awards 2024 Finalist • NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite 2024
Samantha's contributions have not gone unnoticed. She was a finalist for SA Australian of the Year in 2022 and a 2023 State Finalist for the Telstra Best of Business Award in two categories: Accelerating Women and Championing Health. She was the 2024 winner of the Women in Innovation Social Impact award.
Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Pillay emphasizes the importance of dreaming big. Despite her challenges, she achieved more than she ever imagined possible. Her advice to young girls is simple yet profound: "Take your dream, double it, and double it again." Through her work, Samantha Pillay continues to inspire the next generation to reach for the stars and make their dreams a reality.
Nice Illustrations with thoughts so clear on self-belief.
Author had issues with her movement due to having 'hip dysplasia' in her childhood. She went through so many surgeries before her 5th birth year. This is the reason she came over adversities later in her life and became a urological surgeon herself, more to that a businesswoman.
This picture book is all about a girl who is ambitious and wanted to become an astronaut. She desired to achieve things distinct from any other counterpart. This girl is more of a resemblance of the author.
I love the title of this book. Making the statement "WHEN I'm an astronaut" tells kids to go after their dreams and that they can achieve anything they set out to do in life. The illustrations are beautiful and will undoubtedly get kids thinking about what their dream career might look like, and I wouldn't be surprised if this book inspires young kids to become astronauts some day.
Thank you NetGalley and Samantha Pillay for sending me a free readers copy of this book!
As a woman in STEM, this inspiring book made me want to cry with joy over how matter-of-factly this brown girl is ignoring all gender/racial stereotypes and going for her dreams of venturing into space. She doesn't say "if" she'll be an astronaut, she declares "when". I am 100% here for her confidence and her success.
"When I'm an astronaut, I'll go where no one has gone before and be part of something bigger than me." Girl, YES YOU WILL.
Best of all, this is third in a series! Watch me rush off to find the first two, because you know they are just as rousing. Samantha Pillay, you just found a devoted fan for life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
When I’m an Astronaut: Dreaming is Believing: STEM (Inspirational Careers for Kids) by Samantha Pillay was a beautiful story about a child who intends to make her dream a reality.
To become an astronaut takes a lot of physical training. Astronauts even work out in space to lessen the effects of gravity on their bones and muscles. BTW: If your child hasn’t watched astronauts working out in space, I encourage you to share videos with them! It’s impressive how they exercise and the length of time they work out too.
Space travel is a team event. No job is too small! It was adorable how the little girl’s puppy was right there with her, from training to exploration. I was waiting for a page where Harry Aveira illustrated the puppy in a space suit. Sadly, it didn’t happen; however, they did illustrate many other cute poochy scenes: swimming in the pool, playing with a ball in space, and floating in a zero-gravity atmosphere.
Every Harry Aveira drawing was excellent, with or without the canine sidekick!
When kids speak of their dreams, we should listen and encourage them to make their dreams come true. If a child says one day they will go to outer space, tell them you believe they will.
Whether a person’s dream takes place on our planet or not, we should support their ambitions.
Amazon didn’t list a recommended reading age, but I think toddlers will love looking at the images. Beginning readers will need assistance with words, such as physics, mathematics, and magnificent. More established readers should have no issue with the text. So, this book could entertain households with a variety of age groups.
I will tell my fellow parents about When I’m an Astronaut: Dreaming is Believing: STEM (Inspirational Careers for Kids) by Samantha Pillay in hopes they will share this book with their youngsters.
My seven year old granddaughter has dreams of being a figure skater, a dancer or a doctor. Quite a difference, but that is the way it is when you are seven. That is one reason I really liked this book. It shows young girls another option out there. This series has three books so far (Entrepreneur, Surgeon and Astronaut) giving girls a view at the possibilities that are out there for them. Each page begins with the statement: When I'm and Astronaut..... It shows various things about the job and things you would need to know. It is not an "if" statement but a "when" showing that it is a realistic goal. We read this one together, and although when I asked her if she might want to be an astronaut when it was finished and she said, "probably not" it still put that idea into her head. I definitely want to get her the "When I'm a Surgeon" book. Each book also has an activity book to go with it, but I have not seen that yet. Once again, we enjoyed the illustrations and talked about them as we read. She was able to read much of the text with some help and picture clues, after I had read it to her. A wonderful book for primary classrooms. The author, Samantha Pillay, who is a doctor, had some physical limitations to overcome, which has encouraged her to encourage girls and minorities to follow their dreams.
The illustrations were my favorite part of the book. They were bright and cheery, but not overdone.
The story had good points to make. I bored early by the same repetitive phrase used throughout the book. This is a STEM production and I am all for encouraging both girls and boys with educational paths geared towards science. However, I would have a hard time facially reading this on the fly to a group. I would have to practice and give a performance. The information is there, its just the repetitive question.
I would gift this as part of personal one-on-one time with a child, maybe in a grandparents basket. Encouragement is not a solo event.
This book tells the story of a young girl imaging what it would be like to be an astronaut. The font is large and accessible and the text is fairly simple and uses several sight words and decodable words. I really like that the phrase “when I’m” is used instead of “if I” to show that this young girl can and will reach her dreams. This is particularly important because she is female and black. Empowering young girls and people of colour with such a simple affirmative phrases is a great step towards helping more people see their own potential. As a grade 3 teacher, I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 4-9 range. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
"Career gender stereotypes and self-efficacy start to form in early childhood.
This book encourages children to Dream Big and Aim High."
I wish that this book encouraged ALL children to dream big and aim high. If the character had been more specific, had a name, that would've been fine. But given that the character is just an anonymous picture, and that this book is meant to inspire ALL kids, I wish each page would've shown a different child performing the tasks of becoming an astronaut, so that all kids could see themselves becoming this someday. I love the idea of this book, but I just wish it had done more. That being said, I loved the illustrations.
When I’m an astronaut, a young girl says, I will reach for the stars. I will study, practice, learn, and when launch day arrives, I will be over the moon with excitement!
When I’m an astronaut, I’ll carry hopes and dreams for many; I’ll be curious, adventurous, and brave. I’ll make the impossible possible, explore the unknown, and go where no one has gone before.
========= Third in the author’s Inspirational Careers for Kids picture book series, this book helps young readers explore the world and work of astronauts. Colorful illustrations depict the various aspects of an astronaut’s life and work. With its accurate portrayal of astronauts and the lure of space exploration, it is sure to be inspiring for many young readers, particularly those with an interest in space travel and exploration.
Designed to encourage young readers, especially girls, to dream and to consider non-traditional occupations and fields of study, this book is a perfect fit with STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] education programs.
There are coloring pages to download from the author’s website [www.samanthapillay.com]; there is also an interesting and informative explanation of the images in the book on the site. An activity book is also available for purchase.
Gender and racial stereotypes have no place in this book. This story is all about what it takes to become an astronaut and how it is an achievable dream for any child. The main character is a young black girl and often in STEM careers, girls and black children are often discouraged, or do not have the same opportunities to reach their goals. Seeing this kind of representation in books is so critically important for kids.
There are strong messages and themes of self-confidence, determination and perseverance, as well as going after your dreams no matter what others say. The book goes over what an astronaut does, but the best part is the focus on the character traits that an astronaut will need to develop and show. There is easy text with some repetition making it easy for young readers to join in.
This story was both entertaining and educational, which can be a tricky balance to maintain in a children’s book, and I will be suggesting it to teachers whenever possible. Incorporating social-emotional skills and topics such as this into children's picture books is a tried and true way to teach an important life skill in a way that is fun. This would be an amazing addition for classroom libraries, counselling offices and more.
"When I'm an Astronaut', is the third book in the 'Inspirational Careers for Kids' series and is a brilliant addition. This STEM text is all about a young girl who has big plans to become an astronaut. She outlines all the things she'll need along the way, from a problem-solving mind, to wonder and awe. This book would be a great text for Early Years and Key Stage 1, with simple text and a repetitive structure to each new page, helping with familiarisation and giving children a model they can use to produce their own writing. The beautiful illustrations make it even more engaging.
A brilliantly diverse text, smashing the gender and racial stereotypes found in too many children's books and showing all children that no dream is shut off to them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
This book is aimed toward young girls, but my son still enjoyed the short book.
In the author's note it mentioned that the creation of this book made her learn more about this topic; however, the book didn't provide any concrete information on what it is like to be an astronaut.
The book was written using simple words. The focus was on WHEN this little girl became an astronaut, but some of what was mentioned can be incorporated in the hear and now so that this girl can excel when she becomes an astronaut. I believe incorporating the hear and now in addition to the future would assist with providing children the insight that they need to stay focused now on their dreams for the future.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and give my opinions of this book. It was a fun and empowering quick read that I was able to share with my daughter.
The illustrations were stunning and had a clear link to the text, there were so many background images that we could point to, name and discuss and, make links to our own home, family and experiences (like having a special teddy for bed time, a pet ect.)
The representation in this book was great, it was so nice to see a little girl, particularly a little girl who is a person of colour, speaking about "when" she would become an astronaut, not if. The self affirming tone was additionally, incredibly important.
The repetition of "When I am an astronaut" meant that the word was really sinking in and becoming a part of my little ones vocabulary.
I love the whole concept of this series. The books offer inspiration, education and entertainment to the reader. It empowers kids not to say "if" I do... but "when" I do. I also like the adorable main character who is a little girl of colour. She is an aspiring astronaut.
The book encourages kids to follow their heart's desire of what they want to become when they are grown up.
The illustrations are beautiful. They are large, crisp and colourful greatly enriching the positive message of the book perfectly.
With a HUGE dream in your heart, lots of hard work, perseverance, and practice your dream can become a reality. This book should be both in classrooms and elementary school libraries. I highly, highly recommend it!
This is a great book series to introduce kids to different careers and careers in STEM. This book was all about becoming an astronaut. She talked about all the cool and fun different things she would get to do as an astronaut. The different jobs and responsibilities she would have. So much hard work she will have to put into it to become an astronaut. It’s a very inspiring and educational book for young kids who dream of exploring space! I feel like almost all kids go through a phase of wanting to become an astronaut and some never grow out of that and work towards it as an adult. A book like this will help a child realize that their dream can become reality if they really want it to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Samantha Pillay for this copy on exchange for my honest review.
Both boys & girls should learn at an early age that STEM careers are open to all people. Ms. Pillay does an excellent job of describing what an astronaut will need to do and, through her website, offers more in-depth information about astronauts and the images used in the book should you want to explore further with your child. Having a girl of color and the flag showing the earth, not a specific country, strengthens the point that this is for everyone.
Beautiful photos, simple to read, and a positive way of reinforcing women and people of color in STEM careers. I would recommend this book to everyone with children.
I didn't really love the writing. Each part starts with "When I'm an Astronaut", like the rest of the books in this series. I felt the author could have offered more in terms of the words, assuming this book is intended for 5-8 year olds. I think at this stage, children want to explore and are already curious, so there was no harm in giving more of practical information as to what astronauts do. However, I loved that the child in the story is a girl, as not many young girls aspire to work in this field. The illustrations were on point, giving the reader a glimpse into the world of an astronaut.
"When I'm an Astronaut" by Dr Samantha Pillay is the third in the Inspirational Careers for Kids series. It is an absolute delight to see such a straightforward and universally accessible book adding wonder and adventure back into STEM subjects. The illustrations by Harry Aveira are engaging and add another dimension to the story. The joyous book has something to offer all children, everywhere. I hope that every library, childcare centre, pre-school and primary school stocks at least one copy of each book.
I received an electronic ARC from Samantha Pillay through NetGalley. Readers take this journey with the young girl who dreams of being an astronaut. They see her vision of the future and what she will accomplish "when I am an astronaut." The visuals are stunning as they bring her dreams to life. I appreciate the encouragement children to dream and work toward their futures. This series offers younger readers a chance to see the stated careers and to think about what they want their career to be. Looking forward to more books from this team.
I truly love that this series is aimed at girls and STEM! The illustrations are cute and engaging! It was fun reading about space in this book. My only small complaint is that it makes it sound like she's waiting until she's an astronaut to do some of these things that she could be doing now. Like "When I'm an astronaut, I'll see humanity as one." I feel like that's something we can support and encourage kids to do now not when they achieve their dreams but other than those few pages the book is encouraging and uplifting!
With simple text and a predictable pattern this book could stretch from a read at bedtime to a book that kids (especially girls) read over and over again. The genuine message of encouragement for all girls to take an interest in science is felt on each page. The message of wonder, excitement, and perseverance fills each page.
I was given an advance copy through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This is a cute book with a simple concept at heart, a young girl describing what it will be like when she is an astronaut. The content of the book is as complex as you want to make it as a reader or teacher; you can read the text and enjoy the colorful and beautiful illustrations or you can take each page and dive deeper into what the details mean as part of a space unit. My 6 year old was interested in the details of the illustrations and they led to great questions and discussions.
I liked the fact that it used the word "when" instead of something like "if".
It was showing confidence in the fact that the child would definitely be an astronaut if they want to, and this is something that I try to install in my child.
I also liked that the main child is female, as typical stereotypes would have a boy astronaut. love the representation
This book sets out with the intention of breaking stereotypes. Letting girls know that there’s no such thing as a boys, job or a girls job and boys are in the same thing. This girl plans on being an astronaut. The story is not quite non-fiction but it’s a little bit more than your average picture book. It talks about the concepts, but in this hopeful future looking way overall, it works not the biggest fan of the illustrations but the book works
Thank you to Netgalley who gave me this ebook in exchange for a honest review. I read this book at the right time. NASA is currently trying to launch Artemis. It will be the first lunar launch that is not “manned” with all white males. I discovered that the author has written several with the pattern, When I’m a… After reading a few, invite children to write their own.
When I’m an Astronaut is the perfect STEM book for early readers.
The illustrations are vivid and eye-catching with lots of little hidden messages to find. The repetitive start to each phrase helps young readers learn to recognize new words. Sight-words are frequently used. Messages of inclusiveness and diversity dominate the book.
Encouraging young people to aspire to careers in space-related fields can not be underestimated in their educational development.