S.Y. Palmer's Blog, page 6

LAUNCH DAY FOR MAY’S MOON!

May’s Moon Launch Party! Thank you so much to the family and friends who joined me to celebrate the launch of May’s Moon on Saturday! It was a fabulous night which I will remember for a long time. Thank you also to those who’ve bought a copy of May’s Moon. I really appreciate your […]

2015 Christmas Theme – Space!

If you love all things space-related…this Christmas is made for you! If you or your children like space and all things space-like, this Christmas is especially exciting for you! On television, a major department store shows a girl looking up into the night sky and spotting the unexpected on the moon Star Wars […]

Moon Poem Winner Announced!

Thank you to those children who sent in their fabulous poems about the moon! I’m delighted to announce that the winner of this competition is… Emma’s poem: The Moon The moon is bright The moon is white The moon shimmers in the sky at night The moon is far With the bright stars I think […]

Things you didn’t know about tonight’s full moon!

Tonight is a full moon! So apart from being able to see the whole of one side of the moon (if our skies are clear), what else does this mean? Here are 10 things you might not know about Earth’s best friend: It would take hundreds of thousands of moons to equal the brightness of […]

Summer Space Stories

What’s the news in space right now? The International Space Station

Tomorrow will see the Russian Space Agency (called Roscosmos) sending one of their Soyuz Spacecraft up to the International Space Station (ISS). This will be the 45th Expedition to the Station. For facts and figures about the football pitch-sized ISS and to find out when it’s next whizzing over your head at 5 miles per second go to the NASA website.

Mars Magic

Did you know that NASA has amazing plans for the first astro...

Top Summer Reads for Children

Great books for 8-12 year olds

If you’re anything like me, you like to buy or download books just for your holiday. There they sit, tempting you to just read the first few lines. If you succumb, they are somehow spoilt and you then have an overwhelming desire to get something brand new to replace it…well that’s me anyway.

With children, it can be just as perilous a decision – get the right book and they’ll be absorbed, captivated and put away all non-reading related electronic devices. Get it...

Look up and smile

Smile at the moon

Is the moon lonely up there in the night?

All on its own – way out of sight

Behind the clouds and right up high

It looks quite clumsy in all that sky

And what does it do…why is it there?

A huge bright eye that likes to stare

Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not

A mottled face or a cheesy dot

It can wax or wane – whatever that means

And is much much bigger than it actually seems

A quarter of a million miles away

It bears man’s prints from his short-lived stay

From...

What made you share your words…and worlds?

Questions and Answers…

AUTHOR INTERVIEW – S Y Palmer

Where are you from?

I live in the UK. I moved from Lancashire to The Cotswolds at the age of 7 and have been living in rural Oxfordshire since 1995.

Tell us your latest news?

My first children’s book May’s Moon is due for publication in the autumn with John Hunt Publishing and…I have just started researching for the sequel, which is really exciting. It gives me an excuse to start reading about space again and allow myself to float around in...

A World of Books

Celebrating World Book Night…questions and answers

Q: What is World Book Night? A: World Book Night is a night of celebration! Enthusiastic volunteers at libraries, bookshops and other venues give away books and share their love of reading with those who don’t read regularly.

Q: Why do we have it? A: Only 35% of people in the UK read regularly for pleasure and the aim is to get more adults to read. It is the adult version of World Book Day.

Q: Who organises it? A: A charity called The Readin...

What’s happening in space now?

Visit the NASA Kids’ Club to find out…

This Friday (27th March), 1 NASA astronaut and 2 Russian cosmonauts will fly up to the International Space Station to join 3 other members of the Expedition 43 crew.

The Expedition 43 crew will represent the USA, Russia and the European Space Agency. They will be performing science experiments and two of the astronauts will be spending a whole year in space, to see what impact it has on their bodies.

Visit the NASA Kid’s Club ‘Now in Space’ to find out m...