Planet Earth Is Blue

You 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.

We 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 BlueAuthor: Nicole PanteleakosMain Characters: Nova, Bridget, James, Joseph, JohnStory 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!

This beautiful debut follows Nova, a non-verbal girl with autism (she’s a “thinker”, not a “talker”), through the ten days leading up to the Challenger launch. Nova is in the foster care system and has recently been placed in a new foster home—separated from her big sister, Bridget. Bridget and Nova share a love for all things space exploration and Bridget has promised Nova that no matter what, she’ll be back so they can watch the launch together.While Nova waits 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 way.As a former 5th and 6th grade teacher, I’m cheering for this book with autism representation. It would make a fantastic read aloud in any classroom, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

The problem with this book is, once you pick it up, you can't put it down. The heroine, Nova, is an autistic girl living in a non-verbal world - and yet, she is eloquent. Her gestures, her emotions, and her thoughts (conveyed in occasional first-person letters to her sister) are both unique yet universal... as is this book. Filled with heart and hope, this debut novel is one you'll remember long after turning the last page. Highly recommended.

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. 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.

Planet Earth Is Blue is a debut middle grade novel about an autistic, nonverbal, 12-year-old girl who is misunderstood (and misdiagnosed) by her educators and the foster care system. Nova's character and her treatment (set in the 1980s) is genuine and sincere. The author does a wonderful job of realistically portraying Nova's challenges while always emphasizing her strengths and intelligence. Nova's longing for her missing sister Bridget--and her hopes to watch the Challenger launch together--are both beautiful and painful. Heartbreaking but hopeful, this is a book you won't want to miss.