Alone: A Story of Friendship in the Darkness of Space
Scott Stuart
Paperback
(Independently published, Aug. 8, 2019)
#1 Bestselling Children's Book!We all feel different sometimes, and Earth, slowly spinning in the darkness of space, feels so very different from all the other planets.Can Earth find friendship in the loneliest of places?This lovingly illustrated children's book by Scott Stuart reminds us that even when we feel completely alone, friendship is just a moment (or a meteor) away.An excerpt...Earth opened her eyesand looked all around.She looked for a friendâŚbut no friend could be found.Click the BUY button and get your copy of this beautiful and empowering story now!----AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORQ - What inspired you to write this book?When I was young, we moved house a lot, and every time we arrived in a new place, I had to go through the process of making new friends. I vividly remember moving to Melbourne, knowing nobody, and in this large city, surrounded by millions of people, I felt lonelier than I had ever felt before. I think a lot of kids, as they enter new stages of their lives, can really relate to this feeling of loneliness, of being surrounded by people but afraid that they wonât make new friends, of feeling completely alone in the world.As I explored that theme for a new childrenâs book, I thought âwhat could be lonelier than the darkness of space?â That led me to think about how the Earth would feel if it were to wake up, surrounded by darkness, wanting to make friends.Would other planets be willing to open their hearts? Would the Earth be willing to take a chance and reach out to them? What if the other planets werenât friendly? What if they didnât like the Earth for who she was?Q - What do kids learn in this book?To cover the scientific bases first - Iâve been amazed at how quickly kids have learned the little facts that I brought into the story about all the planets. Like Uranus being blue and 4 times the size of Earth - when my son said that to me I was completely blown away by everything he remembered about the story.Everything in the book is based on scientific theory - some of it is debated of course, like how the moon came to be, and the age of the sun - but everything is based on our knowledge of the universe.The other thing, and the most important thing, that kids are learning, is that feeling alone in a new environment is something that everyone experiences. They learn that itâs ok to feel sad when theyâre struggling to make friends. And they also learn that friendship is always only a moment (or a meteor) away.Q - Whatâs the feedback that has been the most surprising?Iâve been constantly surprised by, despite this being a picture book written for young children, how much this concept of feeling alone has resonated with an older audience. I know I had experienced the feeling, especially when in a new city, but so many people have reached out and told me they have felt the same.Q - Do kids love this book?I think that, when it comes to books about planets and space, it can be hard to really engage kids in the facts and the science. Iâve taken a completely different approach. Iâve built a really heartwarming story about the Earth and her emotions. Iâve been unafraid to dive into those emotions to create something that kids can really relate to on the deepest level, and Iâve been absolutely overjoyed to see the enjoyment that kids are getting out of this picture book.I hope you love the book, and I always love to hear your thoughts.