About The Darkest Dark:
Inspired by the childhood of real-life astronaut Chris Hadfield and brought to life by Terry and Eric Fan’s lush, evocative illustrations, The Darkest Dark will encourage readers to dream the impossible.
Chris loves rockets and planets and pretending he’s a brave astronaut, exploring the universe. Only one problem–at night, Chris doesn’t feel so brave. He’s afraid of the dark.
But when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is–and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company.
Awards, Nominations, and Distinctions:
#1 Bestseller – CBC Kids
Winner – IODE Jean Throop Book Award
Shortlist – UKLA Book Award (UK Literacy Association)
Nominated – Bruce Spruce Award
Finalist – Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
Shortlist – Independent Bookshop Week Award, United Kingdom (Picture Book Category)
Best Children’s Book of the Year Selection – Bank Street College of Education
Shortlist – Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, Ontario Arts Council
Shortlist – Best Children’s Book of the Year (Ages 3-5), Amazon.com
Finalist – Shining Willow Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award
Honour Book – Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
Honour Book – Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award (Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota State University Moorhead)
Official Selection – Space.com’s Best Space Books for Kids
Official Selection – Indigo’s Top Ten Kids’ Books for the Holiday Season (2016)
Heather’s Pick – Indigo
Critical Praise:
The Darkest Dark soars as an inspiration for children trying to overcome a fear as well as dreamers wondering if they will triumph. Of course, the lesson here is ageless.
The Observer
A splendid story for soothing night fears, fostering future explorers, and teaching children that not even the sky’s the limit when it comes to dreaming big.
School Library Journal
This book goes down like lemon pudding...It’s a great story. And those Fan Brothers! Oh my. Their tender palette, soft textures, serene compositions, yesteryear sensibility — it’s all mesmerizing. Then they go ahead and drop in the most adorably-spooky aliens you could imagine. Capture the glowing magic of the moon. Charm us with a darling pug. And blast imagination into our dreams. A-ma-zing.
Orange Marmalade
About the Author(s):
CHRIS HADFIELD is one of the most seasoned and accomplished astronauts in the world. The top graduate of the U.S. Air Force test pilot school in 1988 and U.S. Navy test pilot of the year in 1991, Colonel Hadfield was CAPCOM for twenty-five Shuttle missions and NASA’s Director of Operations in Russia. Hadfield served as Commander of the International Space Station where, while conducting a record-setting number of scientific experiments and overseeing an emergency spacewalk, he gained worldwide acclaim for his breathtaking photographs and educational videos about life in space. His music video, a zero-gravity version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” has nearly 50 million views, and his TED talk on fear has been viewed over 10 million times. He helped create and host the National Geographic miniseries One Strange Rock, with Will Smith, and has a MasterClass on exploration. Chris Hadfield’s books An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here and The Darkest Dark have been bestsellers all around the world, topping the charts for months in his Canadian homeland.
Kate Fillion is a bestselling author and journalist who lives in Toronto with her two sons.
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits and prints. Together with his brother Eric, he wrote and illustrated the critically-acclaimed picture book, The Night Gardener.
Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. He attended the Ontario College of Art and Design where he studied illustration, sculpture and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions and impossible dreams. His widely-praised debut picture book, The Night Gardener, was a collaboration with his brother Terry.
Other Editions:
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English (Audio)
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English (Hardcover - Canada)
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English (Hardcover - United States)
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English (Hardcover - UK/ANZ)
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English (Hardcover With CD - UK/ANZ)
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English (Paperback - United States)
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English (Paperback - UK/ANZ)
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English (Paperback - UK/ANZ)
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Chinese (Simplified)
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Chinese (Traditional)
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French (Hardcover - France)
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French (Hardcover - Canada)
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Japanese (Hardcover)
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Italian
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Norwegian (Hardcover)
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Turkish (Paperback)
Other Books by Chris Hadfield: