Thomas C Kidman

The Big Ball of Light Thomas C Kidman

The Big Ball of Light is a children's story about how our Solar System came into existence. It is a modern creation story as the ancient Greeks may have told it, had they known what we do about the heavens. It begins with a Big Cloud of Gas who finds he is alone in the universe so he decides to make some friends. He then meets each of the planets in the Solar System, finds out about their unique characteristics and helps them with some problems they have. Most details are based on scientific data and theories about our Solar System (although there is currently a lack of evidence supporting the idea that our planets and star can actually talk to each other). The intention of the book is to get children to learn about the Solar System in a way that (most) children learn best, through stories. Hopefully it encourages some to read further and find out what is true, what is partially true and what is outright wrong (due to some artistic licence). Also, it may serve as an introduction to astronomy, giving children a starting point to work from. The book should be suitable for children who are independent readers. Alternatively, if parents are reading to their children, the book should be appropriate for ages 6 upwards. A sample of the text has been assessed to be at grade level 3, using an online writing level tester.