Category: Clear Skies – astronomy

Dear Jessica,

Thank you so much for your letter about what would be your first words if you landed on Mars. You wrote:

Nothing in this universe is impossible if you believe in yourself with all your heart.

I find your message so reassuring, especially because of our difficult situation worldwide as we continue to struggle with the pandemic. Beautifully written words can be so powerful! That’s what excites me most about writing and sharing that experience during author school visits. I also like your drawing, because it reminds me of the daily news reports during the pandemic that featured our healthcare heroes in their protective suits.

Stay well and happy reading,

Jessica

Dear Emma,

I love your dramatic starry sky – so aggressive! I can feel the weight of all that massive, empty space.

It is very considerate of you to think about what a privilege it would be to land on Mars, given that the rest of us won’t get the chance. Still, you shouldn’t feel too bad. There are plenty of artists, including writers, who will happily share their imagination about experiences that many of us will never have.

And that’s the next best thing, right?

Happy reading,

Jessica

Dear Elijah,

I enjoyed your letter very much. I like mystery novels, too. I haven’t kept track of the number of pages I’ve ever read, but I’m impressed with your number: 100,000! That’s staggering! You’re only eight years old! I did some math. On average, you’ve read 12,500 pages per year or approximately 62 books if each book is around 200 pages, like the last one I wrote about a young astronomer. I hope you have your very own library card.

Have you started to write your story about aliens?

Happy reading,

Jessica

Dear Alexander,

You’ve drawn such a powerful graphic – a white rocket against a red planet, and a flag that features one of my favourite farmyard animals. So intriguing!

I agree with you about the challenges of colonizing Mars. We would have to bring everything we need with us. Still, NASA is taking the next steps by putting a new generation of astronauts on the Moon with the goal of setting up a space station that would serve as a resting point on a much longer journey to Mars. Maybe one of my readers will be on that future spaceship. Wouldn’t that be out of this world!

Happy reading,

Jessica

Dear Emilio,

I think you should write your astronaut cat story. It is sure to be a bestseller, especially for readers who like cats and outer space. You’ve done a wonderful job showing what the view would look like from the Moon. Earth is wonderfully drawn as is our cat hero.

I did read that astronauts wouldn’t be able to see stars from the Moon because the Sun would block out their light. So that’s a bit sad to think about, because I love to see stars on clear nights. Still, your craters, the flag, the rocks and the lunar car are all fantastic. Well done, you!

Happy reading and writing,

Jessica