One Giant Leap

by Thao Lam

Owlkids 2024

One Giant Leap by Lam is an enchanting, wordless journey of a young explorer who, after bundling up for a cold winter day, steps off the elevator and transforms into an astronaut on a gray, moon-like planet.

Lam’s collage-style illustrations are a highlight, with the vibrant orange of the protagonist’s outfit popping against the mostly gray and black scenery. The narrative cleverly shifts from mundane to magical as the astronaut joyfully bounces around on the planet’s weakened gravity, performing dance-like gestures, and plants a purple-patterned flag atop a hill. Curiously, our hero discovers claw-like tracks that belong to birds!

Whether these birds are friendly or fearsome is quickly resolved when, through friendly gestures, the protagonist asks them for help in finding his space rocket. The oversized, pastel-colored birds seem unbothered by the stranger’s request. The adventure takes a turn when the astronaut encounters seemingly unfriendly aliens and must flee, leading to snowfall and the discovery of his rocket. Boldly textured, particularly the thick paper and white dollops of paint as snowfall, add to the book's visual appeal. In a delightful twist, the door’s handle transforms outer space into a school classroom.

Finally, readers see our protagonist’s face in a relieved half-smirk, having survived his journey to school. The final spread reveals a snowy footpath taken by our little astronaut from an apartment building to the schoolhouse. Attentive readers will notice that the colors of the classmates’ coats match those of the aliens our hero encountered earlier, and the planet’s terrain mirrors the schoolyard. Lam’s work is a delightful blend of imagination and visual charm, though the transition from adventure to reality could be smoother. Nonetheless, One Giant Leap is an otherworldly escapade, best for young adventurers. (Ages 4-8)

Shelly Swearingen is an elementary school teacher currently living in coastal South Carolina. Her book discussions can also be found on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Shellyish