Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos

Narrated by Peter Berkrot, this iconographic-animated adaptation of the informative 2014 science appreciation book by Stephanie Roth Sisson kicks off with a depiction of the iconic astronomer Carl Sagan as a boy (with cute signature eyebrows). Star Stuff details young Carl's fascination with the night sky viewed from his Brooklyn apartment, his appreciation for the “World of Tomorrow” exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair, and the subsequent curiosity that spurred him to visit his local New Utrecht Library to read about the stars and other planets. Combining cool watercolors, comic panel-style vignettes depicting little Carl exploring space in his imagination, and a sweeping soundtrack by Scotty Huff, Star Stuff also looks at Sagan's fascination with Edgar Rice Burroughs's “John Carter” character, his academic education, his work on the Mariner and Voyager space projects, and his desire to spur others to feel his same connection to the stars through his landmark TV series Cosmos. A fun and inspirational biographical portrait—with a read-along option—this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)