In Praise of Mystery

PreS-Gr 2–Limón’s words will travel nearly two billion miles to Jupiter’s second moon, Europa, via NASA spacecraft in the fall of 2024. The poem speaks to the power of the “mysteries below our sky” and the value in retaining one’s sense of wonder while journeying into the larger world. “We are creatures of constant awe,/ curious at beauty, at leaf and blossom,/ at grief and pleasure, sun and shadow.” The gentle, contemplative touch of the poet is evident in the rhythm and fluidity of the language and bolstered by the work of Sís’s encompassing and elegant illustrations—a layered mix of watercolors, pen, and ink that pair beautifully with the spare and delicate poetry. His art, like Limón’s writing, is rooted in the elements but threaded through with magic, filling the book with tranquil shades of blue and green. Each page features a scatter of Limón’s sharply honed words against a backdrop of the natural world, with emphasis on bodies of water and the vast sky. The book, while fairly brief, reveals something new upon each reading: a testament to the wonder and mystery that Limón writes about so movingly. This would be a lovely and innovative addition to a classroom lesson on space exploration.