Eight-year-old problem-solver Terysa is determined to win the school science fair.
There is only one she has so many good ideas, she doesn’t know which one to choose. Terysa loves astronomy, so she wants her project to be space-related. But what exactly should she present? Luckily, her sister Shana is an astronomy wiz and is on hand to help. Shana inspires Terysa with the tale of mathematician Dorothy Vaughan, NASA’s first Black supervisor and a computer programming pioneer.
Together, the sisters puzzle out the Python code that will get Terysa’s science project moving all on its own, and will soon have a project that is out of this world. But will it be enough to win the top science fair prize?
I believe everyone should read this amazing picture book. Also have this book in their personal libraries, in their classrooms, and in their public libraries. This book not only has a beautiful cover, but the message it conveys is one that brings joy to the heart. Science and space are both interests that every kid shows as they grow up. Terysa is an intrepid heroine who loves solving problems. It is astounding how intelligent she is at eight, and how much she loves the subject of astronomy. As soon as she learns her school's science fair is around the corner, she prepares herself to present a demonstration that will impress the judges. With Shana's help, she accomplishes this. A beautiful project will be created by them working together, doing research, and combining ideas. Terysa and Shana absolutely captured my heart. Besides, they're complementing each other, there is a family dynamic between them.
I love that this book promotes women in STEM, this is definitely something that we need to see more of in the world!
The illustrations used in this book were really brilliant, they tied the book together nicely , it makes the book open for every type of reader and level of reader to be able to understand it .
This book is aimed for young readers, I would say upto the age of 7 . In the book you go on a journey with main character Terysa , involving her science fair and her big sister Shana. It is a story that is quick (26 pages) entertaining and has enough to keep the young readers attention on it. A really great children's book!
If you know a small person – especially a femme-presenting one- you will absolutely want to share this book with them. We all know we need more women in STEM, especially women of color, and this book is a wonderful highlight and inspiration of that concept.
I loved this book. Because I have a five-year-old, I jumped at the chance to share this book with her, and I am so glad I did. I, too, have a little budding scientist a la Terysa and Shana, and she often tells me how she wants to go to the moon – as long as I and her dad can go along – so this seemed like the perfect book for her.
Otherwise, I thought it brought a lot of great history and scientific facts into the mix. The book was a great jumping-off point for budding scientists to start their research. It would make a great addition to any classroom library and a great highlight for either Black History or Women’s History month classroom curriculums.
I also love that the author is herself a women of color working in a STEM field. That provides that extra inspiration and role model to show little girls they can grow up to be scientists just like her!
For my neurodivergent five-year-old, it did get bogged down in history and science facts a little – but she still enjoyed the story once we found the right setting for her, which if you have an neurodivergent kid, you know is key. She enjoyed seeing little girls like herself tackling science, and really enjoyed the concepts. It might be slightly more appropriate for slightly older kids, but having only raised my ND child, other neurotypical five-year-olds might be more able to focus on it.
This is a great book for kids who love science, and it might help inspire some kids who don’t already love science. It’s a great read for middle to upper elementary students, and I really think parents and teachers will enjoy reading this along with their children.
Apparently, this is the second in a series about Terysa, and we will definitely be looking into that book, and will keep an eye open for future installments. Terysa and her sister are loveable, and have definitely earned a spot on my family’s bookshelf.
I received a free copy of this book as part of the Love Books Tours in exchange for an honest review.
This is part of the "Terysa Solves It" series which follows 8 year old Terysa who has to find solutions to some technical problems.
In this book, Terysa wants to make the best project to win the upcoming science fair and decides to make a moon model with mini rover. But how can she make it move around?
I love that this book promotes computer science and stem topics to young girls and shows that with a bit of teamwork and perseverance, you can overcome most problems.
I loved the illustrations in this book which could prompt more discussion points for younger readers.
There is quite a bit of technical language in this, which would suit an older child. Being not very technically minded, I think I'd have liked a bit more explanation with some of the concepts, but I totally appreciate that these things are taught at much younger ages now, so the language would be more familiar to them.
Overall, a nice story to share with your little ones and one that may ignite an interest in science topics and computing which are both really important in the world today.
To The Moon centres around 8-year-old Terysa who wants to win the science fair with one of her ideas, her biggest problem though is choosing which idea! The book is set from the perspective of Terysa, so you can experience her thoughts and feelings as she says them. As an adult I absolutely loved the illustrations in the book and the way in which the story posed multiple questions to the reader, plus I love the knowledge that the book provides, the inclusion and teachings of Dorothy Vaughn is fantastic, as well as the child friendly teachings of coding and inputting instructions for programming. It is a great little read, and I really like how it has made an impact on my little one and his interest in space and programming.
William 5yrs old: It is a very colourful book with awesome pictures, I’ve asked mummy if I can build my own rocket and turtle as I want to win a trophy. I like the girl; she is cool, and her idea was really good!
This is a wonderful story about 8yr old Terysa who is excited about the school science fair, she wants to do something about the moon but not sure what. Until her sister tells her about Dorothy Vaughan. The first ever black supervisor at NASA. Terysa then has to overcome a series of problems to solve and with the encouragement of her sister and being inspired by everything Dorothy Vaughan accomplished. It's a great story to read, its illustrations blend with the story very well. It shows children especially young girls that yes you can be into space and computers, that it's not just for boys. They can be smart, clever and succeed, just work hard, don't be afraid to ask for help to support and acknowledge each other. There is such an important message within this story and I really hope the story lights a spark in children to want to learn more.
‘To the Moon’ is a lovely story about an eight year old girl who learns all about Dorothy Vaughan in order to try and win the school science fair. This is a charming little story for young children. My six year old girl read this book and really enjoyed it. It is a wonderful way to introduce a bit of computer coding and also inspiring women like Dorothy Vaughan to a young audience. My daughter also really liked seeing Terysa work with her sister.
The illustrations are really lovely in this book. I will definitely be looking at getting more Terysa solves it books for my daughter in the future.
Thank you to @LoveBookTours and @terysasolvesit for the gifted copy of this book and letting me be part of the tour. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
What’s not to love about this children’s book! It’s so fun, vibrant and inspiring. 🥰👩🏾🚀🚀
Representation is extremely important and I will happily champion any book that highlights it. It’s wasn’t until I was an adult, well, truth be told, it wasn’t until more recent years, did I realise how little or poor the representation for girls/women, and especially girls/women of colour was, so seeing books like Terysa Solves it entering the mainstream, makes me extremely happy.
I LOVE that this promotes STEM for girls. Showing young girls that the sky’s the limit when it comes to your hopes, dreams and aspirations. That with a little bit of teamwork & determination, you can achieve everything your heart desires. I adore the the relationship with her sister. It’s sweet and the end is so cute. I love the computer work. I remember when I was a kid (using a far more primitive computer system) to control the turtle and get it moving. It was the best feeling seeing that little line move across the screen. And of course, I LOVE that it’s educational and showcases a real trailblazer in Dorothy Vaughan, NASA’s first Black supervisor and computer programmer. I immediately looked her up, wanting to learn more! ♥️🌟
And finally, the illustration. Oh, my days! It’s adorable. It’s bold, colourful and whimsical. What I love the most has to be the expressions. Those eyes! So simple, but so expressive. Amazing.
Thank you so much, Terysa & Love Books Tours, for gifting me this adorable book in return for an honest review. 🪐
I love the cover of this book, it's big and bold and would appeal to children. The illustrations through this book are colourful and have plenty to talk about, especially with younger children. The author tells the story of Terysa a 8-year-old girl that loves all things Space and wants to do somethings special for the school science fair. After talking to her older sister Shana and hearing about Dorothy Vaughan and her being a computer programming pioneer, she decides to use coding. I like how the author shows that if it doesn't work the first time, you shouldn't give up. This book explains that using computer coding can help in so many ways, not just in gaming.
To the Moon is a great children's book following Terysa as she tries to choose her topic for the science fair - there's only one problem, there are too many things she would like to do. With the help of her sister, they create their own incredible project.
I really enjoyed the focal point of young children in STEM and having it told in first person gave you the perspective of our young protagonist - experiencing her own thoughts and feelings as they researched and developed their project.
The illustrations by Maria Gabriela Gama are vibrant and really draw the attention of the reader.
Women in STEM is definitely something I appreciate seeing advocated in books, I believe that there is definitely under-representstion from black women in STEM also, so this is great to highlight a fantastic American NASA scientist to the young generation. I loved the illustrations, though I felt a little bit of conflict between the age the illustrations seemed to be aimed at and the complexity of the language used seemingly for slightly older children. It's a lovely little read that I'm sure will be a success.
Terysa wants to have the perfect project for the science fair. She loves space so her sister helps her come up with ideas based on famous Black women of space. Terysa is a great role model for any child because she problem solves and does not give up. She keeps a positive attitude in her work. She is an especially great role model for girls and girls of color. Terysa can help girls see themselves doing great things and be inspired to reach for the stars!
My Thoughts: This is a cute book about a young girl that has a school project to do and after much thought she decides to do her project about Dorothy Vaughan. Dorothy Vaughan’s was the space agencies first ever black supervisor which had a crater named after her. So Terysa being determined to win sets out to make model which her sister helps with and she goes on to win first prizes. I think this will make a good book to read out loud or with your children.
My kids are maybe a little young to understand a lot, but they still loved this book! Terysa is a great role model for all kids! They loved looking at the photos and all of the space related things! I would highly recommend for anyone with children who are interested in space and science.
I'm gonna start by saying that this amazing picture book should be in every public library, home library, and in every classroom. Not only does it have one of the most charming and beautiful covers, and the message it provides is pure joy.
I do believe every kid growing up shows some form of interest in science or space. Our intrepid heroine Terysa is a problem solver. At only eight years old, she is extremely intelligent, and she loves astronomy. So when her school announces the science fair is around the corner, she goes into overdrive to present something outstanding. To do so, she enlists the help of her equally smart older sister, Shana. Together, they'll do research, work together, and combine ideas to create an amazing project. I absolutely fell in love with Terysa and Shana. The way they compliment each other and, of course, the family dynamic.
Also, I admire books that mention important figures in science, and we also meet Dorothy Vaughan. The sisters learned how much Mrs. Vaughan helped other women in computer science that they took inspiration from it. I have a five year old daughter, and this book is an amazing tool to show her how important it is to follow your dream and be the best at whatever she decides to be in society.
What a clever and inspiring read for children, full of educational text but written in a way that children can easily understand. Filled with beautiful illustrations and a hidden message about working together and learning from others was lovely. My children were very excited that the characters were of colour and my little girl said look mummy she looks like me 🥰 which was sweet to hear. I would definitely recommend terysa solves it books , a great way to incorporate learning into story time on subjects you don’t always hear about in other children’s books. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️