We, the Curious Ones

Tackling a wide-ranging history of thought about the universe, Bauer describes the transformation of stories that humans—“the curious ones”—tell about their surroundings. Once describing a flat world that rested on a turtle, humans’ tales change after those “who dare challenge/ even the stories/ we love” ask if the world might be not flat, but round. As generations pass, others ask whether the earth might revolve around the sun, leading to seemingly limitless concepts (“the universe is expanding”). Glittering with stars and pulsing with color and light, photographed dioramas constructed by married team Hari & Deepti convey a sense of limitless space that dwarfs the stylized, shadowy human figures who see themselves in constellations. The collaborators bring sweep and majesty to the concept of paradigmatic change, communicating the challenge and excitement in revolutionary new ways of thinking and telling. An afterword discusses the book’s roots in the idea of quantum gravity. Ages 6–9. (Nov.)