This story tugs on the heart strings. I guess there was a stray dog that a Russian scientist adopted for an experiment on Sputnik 2. It burst into flames when it returned to earth and Laika, of course, died. The author says it is part fable, part dog story and part history lesson. It is not surprising that a transgender person who is often ostricized and forgotten would have the empathy to write a story about this dog. Oh my heart!
If I were to read this to a class, it would definitely have to be on a day when there is time to discuss it after.
Goodreads says:
The heart-rending story of Laika, the brave space traveler, by the co-authors of From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea.
By two of the co-authors of the acclaimed children’s book From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea: the moving beautifully told story of Laika, the dog who learned the names of the stars. Laika is an orphaned stray dog who lives in the streets of Moscow in the then Soviet Union. Although she is loved by her pack, Laika longs one day to learn the names of the stars, since she knows that all dogs become stars when they die—including her parents. One day, a Russian scientist named Vlad offers Laika the chance to travel to the stars by helping him with an important experiment, an event that will change the entire world.
Part fable, part dog story, part history lesson, young and older readers alike will find themselves captivated by Laika’s brave and loving heart, and by her story, which holds important lessons about world peace, science, and the deep bonds between humans and every other creature with whom we share the planet.
