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Planet Earth Is Blue Paperback – May 5, 2020
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A heartrending and hopeful story about a nonverbal girl and her passion for space exploration, for fans of See You in the Cosmos, Mockingbird, and The Thing About Jellyfish.
Twelve-year-old Nova is eagerly awaiting the launch of the space shuttle Challenger--it's the first time a teacher is going into space, and kids across America will watch the event on live TV in their classrooms. Nova and her big sister, Bridget, share a love of astronomy and the space program. They planned to watch the launch together. But Bridget has disappeared, and Nova is in a new foster home.
While foster families and teachers dismiss Nova as severely autistic and nonverbal, Bridget understands how intelligent and special Nova is, and all that she can't express. As the liftoff draws closer, Nova's new foster family and teachers begin to see her potential, and for the first time, she is making friends without Bridget. But every day, she's counting down to the launch, and to the moment when she'll see Bridget again. Because as Bridget said, "No matter what, I'll be there. I promise."
- Print length240 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level3 - 7
- Lexile measure740L
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.48 x 7.63 inches
- PublisherYearling
- Publication dateMay 5, 2020
- ISBN-100525646604
- ISBN-13978-0525646600
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Pantleakos masterfully blends character and plot in this gorgeous, hopeful story.” —Booklist, Starred Review
“Bursting with worry, joy, empathy, humor, and even mischief, Nova is endearingly nuanced... Stellar.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“An exceptional debut featuring a character everyone can root for.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Tender and illuminating, Planet Earth is Blue is a beautiful debut novel about the strength of a girl who knows exactly who she is, even when others can’t see her.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery-winning author of When You Reach Me
“A powerful story about the extraordinary mind of a young girl with autism and the bond between sisters.” —Ann M. Martin, Newbery Honor–winning author of A Corner of the Universe and the Baby-sitters Club books
“Nova is a character you will never forget, who will break your heart and put it back together again in a new way. She felt so real.” —Gennifer Choldenko, author of the Newbery Honor Book Al Capone Does My Shirts and One-Third Nerd
“A remarkable, sensitively told debut with a joyfully positive portrayal of neurodifference. Nova and her indomitable spirit will remain with you long after you close the book.” —Cindy Baldwin, author of Where the Watermelons Grow
“As close to perfect as a story can get. It speaks to heartbreak and joy, pain and resilience, tragedy and humanity (both big and small) in a unique and utterly engaging ‘speechless’ voice that transcends all boundaries.” —Nora Raleigh Baskin, author of Anything but Typical and Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story
“Nova’s story will wrap itself around your heart page after page after page. It’s like reading a hug. A beautiful debut!” —Ellie Terry, author of Forget Me Not
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
And Nova was broken.
Nova hadn’t wanted to run away from the last foster family. They were nice enough. Sure, it wasn’t easy sharing one bedroom with four other girls in three sets of bunk beds. There was no privacy for Bridget, who liked her space, and there was no room for hand flapping or bouncing, which Nova liked to do while pretending she was in space.
Plus there was a rule no shower could last more than eight minutes.
And they weren’t allowed to watch TV, listen to records, or drink anything with caffeine.
But there had been hot oatmeal in the mornings. Cold lemonade with lunch. Warm blankets at night. Nobody yelled bad words or spanked them. Nobody made Bridget scrub floors like Cinderella. Nobody called Nova Dumbo because she couldn’t speak. Most importantly, they were together.
Bridget hated it anyway.
“I’m out of here,” she kept saying. “I can’t stand it another day. I’m losing my mind.”
Nova wasn’t worried then. She knew they’d end up somewhere else eventually.
When the time came, though, leaving was different. No social worker to transport them. No paperwork for adults to sign. Bridget didn’t even glare at the failed foster parents and say goodbye. Nova and Bridget just piled into a car and drove away. This was not their routine, which made Nova’s tummy hurt because she hated goodbyes, but she hated deviating from the routine even more.
“Don’t worry!” Bridget had kissed Nova’s forehead. “I’ll take care of you like I’ve always taken care of you!”
Now Bridget was gone. And Nova was worried.
She rocked back and forth on her knees, hugging NASA Bear to her chest, and glanced around her newest bedroom. The first room she’d ever had all to herself.
Diagonal from the door was a double bed with a fancy carved headboard. The mattress was soft, the pillow was softer, and the blanket was plush and purple, covered in tiny silver stars.
It was too big.
The bedroom was long but narrow. It had two windows, one facing the front yard and the other facing the back. Out back there was an in-ground pool, covered up for the winter. Out front a pathway leading up to the door was guarded by two giant stone lions. At midnight the town switched off the streetlights, which made Nova happy because total darkness meant she could see the Big Dipper lurking along the horizon, where the sun set shortly before dinner each night.
It was too nice.
The upstairs bathroom had a tub long enough to stretch out in. The kitchen always smelled of fresh-baked brownies or banana bread and the color television had a remote control. Most rooms had wall-to-wall carpeting. There were lots of windows through which the sun shone.
It was too much like a home.
Nova didn’t want it to start feeling like home. Bridget always warned, “If it feels like home, it’s harder to leave.” Nova hugged her teddy bear tighter, trying to picture her big sister in the bedroom beside her. What had Bridget been thinking, deciding to run away like that? It was already January 1986, and in August she’d be eighteen. Then Bridget could raise Nova herself, like they’d always planned.
Only Bridget was gone. And Nova was lonely.
“You’ll start school on Monday,” new foster mother Francine warned during breakfast.
Nova hated new schools more than she hated new foster families. New schools always spent the first week or two testing her and always came to the same conclusions: “Cannot read. Does not speak. Severely mentally retarded.”
Bridget hated the word retarded.
“My sister’s not dumb,” she’d tell anyone who’d listen. “She’s a thinker, not a talker.”
The truth was, Nova rarely spoke and when she did, she had difficulty controlling her volume, so sometimes she’d be whispering on a crowded playground and other times she’d be shouting in church. Even when she did manage to find the right sound, forming a whole word was its own challenge. She could say “Oh” or “Kay” but not “Okay.” She could say “Wah” or “Ter” but not “Water.” She could say “Coo” or “Kee” but not “Cookie.” And sometimes when she’d try to say a simple word like “Cat” an entirely different word would come out, like “Boo,” which didn’t make sense to anyone, not even Bridget.
Most of the time Nova didn’t bother to speak at all.
Rocking back and forth on top of the fluffy blankets in the bedroom she had all to herself, Nova wondered for the two millionth time where Bridget had gone and whether she would keep her promise to return in time to see the first teacher skyrocket into space.
“No matter where we end up,” Bridget had said, “even if we have to be separated for a while, I’ll come back to see NASA make history, okay? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Both sisters had been dying to see Challenger launch ever since President Reagan announced the contest to find the perfect teacher over a year ago. Nova was glad the waiting was almost over. She wondered if Bridget was glad too.
Nova kissed NASA Bear’s belly. His plastic bubble astronaut helmet pressed against her forehead. He had been a gift from their mama, who had very strange ideas about how the 1969 moon landing actually happened.
“Government orchestrated!” Mama liked to say. “All on a soundstage, babies, thanks to movie magic! Did you see the way the astronaut’s boots kicked up dirt? The way the flag waved? There’s no wind on the moon, girls! How was it waving? It was government orchestrated, that’s how! That means the government made it up, to trick us!”
Their mama thought a lot of things were government orchestrated.
Product details
- Publisher : Yearling (May 5, 2020)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 240 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0525646604
- ISBN-13 : 978-0525646600
- Reading age : 11 - 12 years, from customers
- Lexile measure : 740L
- Grade level : 3 - 7
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.48 x 7.63 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #125,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Nicole Panteleakos is an author, playwright, and thespian. Her debut novel PLANET EARTH IS BLUE was published by Wendy Lamb Books (Penguin Random House) in 2019 and has since been translated into Dutch, Japanese, Farsi, and Arabic, in addition to being available as an e-book and audiobook. It has won a number of accolades, including the Dolly Gray Award and the 2020 MLA YouPer (Young Person) book award. She is represented by agent Katie Grimm at Curtis Brown, LTD.
When not writing, Nicole can be found playing board games, reading in coffee shops, and taking care of many pets, including cats, ferrets, chickens, dogs, and a bearded dragon. She and her wife live in North Carolina with their family.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They praise the writing quality as beautiful, eloquent, and extraordinary. Readers appreciate the wonderful characters and their development. The content is heartfelt, genuine, and sincere. It brings out intense feelings and opens eyes and hearts. The story deals with dreams, loss, and hope.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They say it's a great read for kids and adults, dreamers, space fans, and lovers of a big-hearted read. Readers appreciate the insight into Nova's head and find it a shining star.
"...My son hasn't always been a reader, but books like this have engaged, entertained, and educated him. That's priceless!" Read more
"...It is a great book!" Read more
"But, oh, it was good. I loved Nova and getting a glimpse into her head. I loved the family that took her in and her memories about her sister...." Read more
"I devoured this book...." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They find it beautifully written and eloquent. The author portrays a beautiful, but heartbreaking picture of living. The book is extraordinary with a wonderful main character. It would make a fantastic read aloud in any classroom.
"...Nova is such a beautiful, complex character, and the way she's given a voice in the narrative is clever and insightful...." Read more
"...The author has portrayed a beautiful, but heart rendering at times picture of what living in the mind of a somewhat non verbal girl on the autism..." Read more
"It is so hard to even begin saying how beautifully written this book is!..." Read more
"...It would make a fantastic read aloud in any classroom, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!" Read more
Customers enjoy the characters' development. They find the characters nuanced and authentic, especially Nova's voice in the narrative.
"...Nova is such a beautiful, complex character, and the way she's given a voice in the narrative is clever and insightful...." Read more
"...Panteleakos does a phenomenal job with Nova's character, which is nuanced and authentic...." Read more
"I devoured this book. It is a page turner with well-drawn characters, especially Nova and Bridgette, who hooked me early and who I loved by the..." Read more
"A captivating and heartwarming story with characters you cannot help but love. I cannot stop reading it. “..." Read more
Customers enjoy the heartfelt and genuine content of the book. They find it genuine, sincere, and engaging. The book opens their eyes and hearts, making it a family-friendly read.
"...does a phenomenal job with Nova's character, which is nuanced and authentic...." Read more
"...It is for anyone who likes an emotional read, who likes to root for a character going through a difficult time, who likes to be drawn in deep and..." Read more
"...for both the return of her sister and the Challenger launch, my heart warmed, was broken (completely), and then was mended in the most amazing..." Read more
"...Nova's character and her treatment (set in the 1980s) is genuine and sincere...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's heartwarming and emotional content. They find it touching and inspiring, bringing them to tears and filling their hearts with hope. The story is described as beautifully written and heartbreaking, capturing readers' hearts with its poignant moments and hopeful message about family, love, and resilience.
"Gosh. I loved this book so much! It really brought out some intense feelings, since, I too was in 6th grade when the Challenger disaster happened...." Read more
"...tight through the heart ripping, tear-jerking bits, as well as the heart-swelling, hope-giving parts. Enjoy!" Read more
"...tragic destiny of Challenger and her crew, it is a novel of dreams, of love, of grief, of hope, and ultimately of what it means to be part of a..." Read more
"...Gorgeously-written and heartbreaking, PLANET EARTH IS BLUE is a fundamentally hopeful story about family, love, and resilience...." Read more
Customers enjoy the story's quality. They find it heartwarming and engaging, dealing with dreams, loss, and hope. The book is told in both third-person and first-person chapters, allowing readers to understand Nova's wishes and fears.
"...Her struggles are relatable beyond her diagnosis. This story deals with dreams, loss, and ultimately hope, which is something we've all..." Read more
"...They got her. This story stayed with me for days and it will stay in your heart as well if you give it a read." Read more
"...It is for kids who love a story about perseverance and survival and learning to make friends, learning to find your way, to be strong, to not give..." Read more
"...to the tragic destiny of Challenger and her crew, it is a novel of dreams, of love, of grief, of hope, and ultimately of what it means to be part of..." Read more
Customers find the book hopeful. They say it's filled with heart and hope, and is a debut novel that will stay with them.
"...This story deals with dreams, loss, and ultimately hope, which is something we've all experienced...." Read more
"...heart ripping, tear-jerking bits, as well as the heart-swelling, hope-giving parts. Enjoy!" Read more
"...Challenger and her crew, it is a novel of dreams, of love, of grief, of hope, and ultimately of what it means to be part of a family." Read more
"...Heartbreaking but hopeful, this is a book you won't want to miss." Read more
Customers enjoy the plot. They appreciate the space facts and insights into Nova's story. The narrative is clever and insightful, and they love the space theme.
"...and the way she's given a voice in the narrative is clever and insightful. Her struggles are relatable beyond her diagnosis...." Read more
"...I loved the space theme. But oh that ending." Read more
"...does a fine job of sprinkling historical details, along with juicy space facts into Nova’s story as she waits for the launch...." Read more
Reviews with images
I cannot put this book down!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019We came across Planet Earth is Blue when my 11 year old son was looking for something to fulfill his summer reading requirement. When I showed him the blurb, he was immediately interested. He's on the spectrum and loves stories that include neurodiverse characters. Seriously, this is the kid who chose Alan Turing for his Day at the Museum historical figure project and Temple Grandin for his research a scientist project. Representation matters. But beyond that, there is so much to love about this story. Nova is such a beautiful, complex character, and the way she's given a voice in the narrative is clever and insightful. Her struggles are relatable beyond her diagnosis. This story deals with dreams, loss, and ultimately hope, which is something we've all experienced.
With my son's permission, I've copied and pasted excerpts from his book report below.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Book Title: Planet Earth is Blue
Author: Nicole Panteleakos
Main Characters: Nova, Bridget, James, Joseph, John
Story Setting: It took place Jan. 18,1986.
Story Summary: 12 year old Nova is a regular kid who is awesome. Not everyone knows that because she can’t speak. She has autism. Nova and her sister were supposed to watch the Space Shuttle Challenger launch together. But her sister is gone.
Main Events: Nova is in foster care.
Her sister Bridget is gone and she promised nova that she would watch the Challenger launch with Nova.
Nova runs away to look for Bridget.
She runs to the car crash site and remembers her sister had die.
Her foster family finds her and later they adopt Nova.
Story Conclusion: Nova writes a letter in her head telling her she is happy.
Write one fact and one opinion about this story: The Challenger blew up. The teacher that yells at Nova is evil.
My son hasn't always been a reader, but books like this have engaged, entertained, and educated him. That's priceless!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2020It's always difficult to determine what to write in a review that will help the possible reader, but yet not give anything away.
The author has portrayed a beautiful, but heart rendering at times picture of what living in the mind of a somewhat non verbal girl on the autism spectrum is like. Her own history of Aspergers (explained in the author's note) I think gives her a greater perspective than most of us. Your heart will hurt as the main character navigates through school much like Melody does in Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. As an educator, I wanted to shake and confront those that misunderstood her and I wanted to give a parade for her foster family and sister Bridget. They got her. This story stayed with me for days and it will stay in your heart as well if you give it a read.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023I bought this so we would have more copies for a classroom at my school. The students all wanted to read this book after a book talk. It is a great book!
- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2019Gosh. I loved this book so much! It really brought out some intense feelings, since, I too was in 6th grade when the Challenger disaster happened. I have a vivid recollection of watching it in the classroom of my then school, PS6 in New York City. It is probably one of my most unforgettable childhood memories. Panteleakos does a phenomenal job with Nova's character, which is nuanced and authentic. She balances out the problematic adults (those who disregard Nova's intelligence), with trusted adults, such as her new foster parents, who give her the much needed opportunity to flourish. Without giving away any of the plot, there is a twist toward the end that managed to surprise me, and its timing is revealed at just the right moment. I highly recommend this debut for both kids and adults.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019You may hear that you should read this book because it has a female protagonist, because it is about a girl who loves space, or because it presents the story from the view of a young person with autism. These are all true of "Planet Earth is Blue", yet the BEST reason to read it, above all, is that it is simply a great story.
Nova likes symmetry, lemon yellow, and outer space. She has a vivid imagination. She is into novels like Bridge to Terebithia and A Wrinkle in Time but people keep reading her Dr. Seuss.
Author Nicole Panteleakos sets her story in the mid-1980's, when people who were non-verbal were literally called dumb. Nova, the protagonist, is twelve years old and actually quite bright, though few people realize it. Her social worker, Mrs. Steele, describes Nova as "severely mentally retarded". Her teacher underestimates her abilities too, and does not understand the way that sensory overload affects Nova's performance in the classroom.
Panteleakos does an outstanding job of portraying Nova as a girl with a strong internal voice, who struggles to interact with others. Only her sister, Bridget, is skilled at communicating with Nova, but "Bidge" ran off and Nova doesn't know how to share her excitement about the upcoming Challenger launch with anyone else.
Planet Earth is Blue is accessible and appealing for all ages and genders. Themes include loss, communication, and trust. I would love to hear more about Nova, as well as her friends in Mrs. Pierce's class.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2023But, oh, it was good. I loved Nova and getting a glimpse into her head. I loved the family that took her in and her memories about her sister. I loved the space theme. But oh that ending.
Top reviews from other countries
- AKReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2021
2.0 out of 5 stars A slow book. Overrated.
I read the description and hoped it would be something substantial. Was really excited to read this book but just didn't retain our attention long enough. Disappointing read. Wanted to like this book as the story and reviews were positive. But just too slow and boring. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the last a few chapters so not sure how it ends. Not as great as I anticipated. Overrated.
- Leonie BouwmanReviewed in Germany on June 10, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
Very lovely story about autism but not for the faint hearted. It has a sad ending.