‘One Giant Leap’ by Thao Lam is a picture book about a young explorer and a big imagination.

A child goes out to play, first buttoning their coat, then entering the elevator in their building. When they step out, it’s as an astronaut on the moon’s surface. What they encounter on the moon’s surface is a surprise!

Told in a wordless book, the story works well and the art is really great/ Young explorers should really like this one.

One Giant Leap by Thao Lam is a wordless book about a young child. While I read this book digitally, the details in the picture make the book come alive and the images appear 3D. The child is pretending to be an astronaut on the moon. as he jumps around, meets aliens, and more. The reader learns at the end that the child was not in fact on the moon but was out in a snow storm. His snow suit mimics the astronaut story. A cute wordless story to get readers thinking. Recommended for ages 4 - 7

This is a wordless picture book that tells an amazing story. Someone wants to be an astronaut and play dress up. They go on fantastic adventures in space where they find new birds, meet new monsters, and discover space. A child’s imagination is a wonderful thing to see, and that is what this book points out. The artwork is done through scrapbooking and paper manipulation and it’s beautiful. It has that feel of “hey, maybe I could do this”. “Maybe I could be an astronaut” but also “maybe I could be the artist”. Took no words to get the point across. This is what wordless picture books should be.

The artwork in this book is astounding! A perfect use of paper cutouts that tell a fun story about an astronaut and their adventure in space.

An artistic, poetic depiction of astronauts and space. Illustrations are strong, making this one that a kid can flip through independently even if they can't yet read.

The creativity and imagination that is exhibited in this book is superb. This is a wordless picture book where you, as the reader, get to decide how to interpret the pictures. Just by looking at the title you have already made assumptions in your head... but all is not what it seems. Time to take One Giant Leap and read this book for an intriguing adventure.

Adorable wordless story showing a child's imagination as they venture out in their winter gear. The illustrative design and compositions are really imaginative and fun to explore. The whimsy of the illustrations and the child's imagination make up for the lack of plot.

I have been a fan of Lam’s ever since reading her picture book My Cat Looks Like My Dad. Her books are offbeat, clever, and beautifully illustrated. One Giant Leap is no exception. In it she utilizes a collage style reminiscent of Eric Carle, but takes it one step further in playing with different perspectives. The pages in which there are reflections in the main character’s helmet are nothing short of brilliant. This book shows what masterpieces wordless picture books can be, and the wide range of stories that can be told without using any words. I will definitely be purchasing this for my library.

A young astronaut suits up and heads outside for some fun on a lunar landscape. But what happens when they run into strange creatures? And can the reader figure out what is really going on?

Thao Lam writes a delightful story about a day of imagination taking flight and transporting kids (and readers) to other worlds. There are absolutely no words, but the final page spreads provide clues in the illustrations as to the inspiration for certain things our intrepid explorer saw during the day that sparked their imagination to go where it went. Hand this to imaginative readers or kids who say that playing outside is “boring”. Where can their imagination take them?

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Is Thao Lam the most artistic children's book creator working today? With One Giant Leap, she certainly positions herself strongly for the title!

Wordlessly witty, this picture book tells the tale of a young astronaut venturing out into space and the adventures encountered thereof. There's a strange landscape to be explore, strange tracks to be followed and strange animals to befriend. Ultimately, there are strange aliens to run away from. Or are they? Our intrepid explorer's imagination runs riot, as we see in the denouement of this charming tale.

A large part of that charm comes from the astonishing attention to detail and texture present in the gorgeous collage art. I sat and stared at the opening pages for a good long while, admiring the almost tactile effect even on the flatness of my PC screen. I also loved the subtle incorporation of brocade, as a callback to our young protagonist's Asian heritage. It was a lovely cultural touch that felt very meaningful to me as someone who also has Southeast Asian roots.

The rest of the story details the power of the imagination, with textures galore to draw in the eye. As visually arresting as it is quietly clever, this is a stunning little picture book perfect for any child who loves fantasizing about going to outer space, as well as for anyone with a love of the visual arts.

One Giant Leap by Thao Lam was published February 27 2024 by Owlkids and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781771475990">Bookshop!</a>

As a child puts on his snowsuit and gloves he imagines dressing as an astronaut to explore the moon. In the world of his imagination we see him explore this conjured environment and interact with other creatures there. Then the snow begins and the perspective slowly shifts back to a recess setting at a school playground. This is a lovely and creative wordless picture book. Very artfully made.

Thank you to OwlKids Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read a pre-release digital copy of this work.

This wordless picture book provides a window into a child's imagination as they make their way to school in the snow. I loved the cut-paper illustrations and the way they captured the mood. Very well done.

🚀 Get ready to take "One Giant Leap" into the boundless realms of imagination with Thao Lam's captivating wordless picture book, hitting shelves on March 15th! Don't miss out—secure your pre-order now to ensure you're among the first to embark on this extraordinary adventure.

In "One Giant Leap," readers are invited to witness the awe-inspiring journey of a child's imagination as they embark on an epic quest to the stars.

🌟 How does the power of imagination propel the child's odyssey through space?

This thought-provoking question serves as a guiding light through the wordless narrative, prompting readers to delve deeper into the transformative magic of creative play. From donning their astronaut suit to exploring distant planets and encountering colorful space creatures, every page brims with wonder and excitement.

As the child navigates through the vast expanse of the cosmos, keen-eyed readers will unravel the hidden clues that reveal the true nature of their adventure. From mundane beginnings in an elevator to soaring heights in their imaginary spacecraft, the journey is a testament to the incredible capacity of the human mind to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

"One Giant Leap" is more than just a picture book—it's a celebration of the boundless imagination that resides within each of us. With its stunning illustrations and captivating storytelling, this book will inspire readers of all ages to reach for the stars and dare to dream big.

With simple, stunning illustrations and the imaginative ability to see the world through the eyes of an adventurous child, Thao Lam does it again with “One Giant Leap” - another beautiful, wordless picture book that takes readers on an epic journey.

Each step into the bold unknown takes a child further and further into a mysterious land. What is around the next corner? What will they discover? Are they brave enough to take the leap of faith they need to traverse the next obstacle?

The incredible artwork is rich with opportunities for inspiration, prediction, inferencing, and storytelling. Readers will delight in the details Lam carefully scatters throughout.

For educators and school library professionals, this is an excellent mentor text for a wide-range of themes and instructional goals in literacy including (but certainly not limited to): making connections, inferencing and predicting, authors message, main idea, visualization, friendship, community, structures, and both recounts and procedural writing.

+A digital advanced review copy was provided and I am leaving this review of my own accord.+

I'm a huge Thao Lam fan - anything she does, I'm all in. This one doesn't disappoint. Wordless - amazingly useful to allow patrons (of all languages) create their own stories through Thao Lam's guidance. Highly recommend.

This was an interesting book. It’s not that it was bad, it just wasn’t for me personally. I am sure there is an audience for it, but I wouldn’t purchase it.

I am a huge fan of wordless picture books, so when this popped in NetGalley, I just HAD to read it. I am so glad I did! There was so much to love about this book's colors, the cutout shapes, the textures, and all of the details in the illustrations. I flipped back and forth in the book once I noticed details on other pages and had many aha moments. I am a school librarian and have always loved "reading" wordless picture books with the students. I call on a few kids to share their version of the story, and I am always blown away by what they come up with and notice that I didn't. I cannot wait to add this to our library collection!

One Giant Leap is a wordless picture book by Thao Lam. I wish I had realized that it was a wordless picture book because I would have read it sooner! The story follows a young child astronaut through a series of adventures. I can truly say that the end of the story surprised me!

There are so many opportunities for discussion between caregivers or teachers and the young children they share this story with! This book presents so many opportunities for discussion between the wordless format, the style of illustrations, and the story itself. I believe that caregivers and teachers will enjoy sharing this book with young children and watching it spark their imagination.

Thank you to NetGalley and OwlKids Books Inc. for the opportunity to review a digital copy of One Giant Leap!

A cute book, portraying a little kid's imagination about being a spaceman....using unique illustrations, maybe similar to material patchwork glued together..... & it all works.....with no words! A 'using your imagination picture book'! I can just see a little kid's mind working this book....how fun!
I received a digital ARC from publisher Owlkids Books via NetGalley for review purposes, & these are my own opinions.

I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
Readers make the journey to school along with this young boy who pretends to be an astronaut exploring in space. The papercut illustrations pull you in to be part of the trip. I appreciate Lam's encouragement for readers to use their own imagination as they see this child use his. A terrific family read to encourage younger readers to study the pictures and tell the story.