Carl Sagan's famous quote, "We are made of star stuff," is brought to life in a captivating picture book that will be cherished by people of all ages. Mesmerizing illustrations are a perfect fit for this story, which tells of the beginning of our universe and of life itself, starting with a small floating speck that suddenly explodes..Bauer's lyrical free-verse love song to Earth, to the listener, and to all creatures is accessible to everyone living on "one lucky planet, a fragile blue ball we call Earth." -Booklist (starred review)

It's a stunning achievement to present to readers the factual events that created the birth of the universe, the planet Earth, and life on Earth with such an expressive, powerful creativity of words paired with illustrations so evocative of the awe and magic of the cosmos. But then the story goes one brilliant step further and gives the birth of a child the same beginning, the same sense of magic, the same miracle. Wow. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In spare, supple verse, Newbery Honor author Bauer (Winter Dance) tells a big story.In a brilliant stroke of visual imagination, Caldecott Honor artist Holmes (Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets) uses the swirls and waves of marbled paper to represent the ebb and flow of cosmic matter. Her spreads appear to move and shift on a grand scale, while Bauer suggests that, just possibly, the power of creation and the power of love are not so different. -Publishers Weekly (starred review)