An out-of-this-world idea!

Sharing stories with your child is one of the best ways to both connect with them and ignite the love of reading in them. When they associate books with quality time spent with you, they make happy connections between books and happy memories. But what do you do when your kids are past the bedtime story phase, but not quite ready to read the same books you read? Are you looking for a gift that will appeal to both an adult and a child?

I have the answer.

Or, rather, astronaut Scott Kelly has the answer for you. Kelly spent an entire year in space aboard the International Space Station while his identical twin stayed on earth to serve as the control subject. Scott wrote about his experiences in two new books, one a compelling memoir for adults and the other a delightfully engaging and educational picture book for young readers.

The stories are not identical, of course, but they do tell the same tale. They tell of the adventure of a lifetime, the story the first time anyone had spent an entire year in space (340 days, to be exact, more than anyone else ever has at one time). They are both stories of daring to dream and what it means to shoot for the stars.

Reading these two books will allow you and your child to talk about Scott Kelly's experiences, to ask questions, to have big discussions, not only about space travel but about perseverance, of hard work, and of never failing to dream big. Scott Kelly's story is the epitome of all of these qualities.

What makes Kelly's story unique is the fact that he is a twin. An identical twin. Not only is he a twin, but his twin is also an astronaut. Because of that, NASA had the unique opportunity to send one twin (Scott) to the ISS while keeping his brother working on the ground as a control subject. This project will provide valuable information about the biological effects of space travel on the human body.

This holiday season, if you know a parent-child combination who love to read, bundle these books together in the perfect gift for both of them! Why not include some astronaut ice cream or tickets to the local science centre, too?

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