Nicole Tadgell – illustratör

Annie is preparing for Career Day at school and is trying to follow her teacher's directive to keep her career choice a secret. Every evening she works on her costume while her family asks for hints. Grandpop gives her a camera in the hope that she will aspire to be a journalist like him. Grandma tells her about her days winning awards for her desserts and lets Annie borrow her mixing bowl and oven mitts. Dad is convinced that she'll wants to be a mountain climber like him; and when Mum asks for a hint, she gives Annie some high-top trainers hoping Annie will be a basketball player like she is. Annie does not commit to any of her family members' career choices, but in the end shows that she can blend something from everyone and make it her own. Readers will have no doubt that Annie is well equipped to follow her dream to travel into space. The illustration of her room shows planets hanging from the ceiling, stars and moons on her bedspread and tissue box, space posters on the walls and a telescope for stargazing. Tadgell's watercolour illustrations are child-friendly and complementary to Slade's concise storytelling. Background information gives a short biography of four female astronauts, information about the phases of the moon and a list of sources to learn more.

Career Day is approaching, and Annie can’t wait to show her family what she’s planning to be when she grows up. But, she must keep it a secret until Friday! So curious family members each ask Annie for a clue. Convinced that she’ll be a news reporter like he once was, her grandfather gives her his old camera and notebook to use for her presentation. Her grandmother is sure Annie wants to be a champion baker like her, so she offers a mixing bowl and oven gloves to Annie. Hopeful she’ll become the mountain climber he aspired to be so her father gives Annie an old backpack. Her mother presents Annie with a pair of high-top trainers to pursue her favourite sport at school—basketball.Grateful for each gift, Annie cleverly finds a way to use them all to create her Career Day costume. When the big day arrives, Annie finally reveals her out-of-this-world dream to everyone.• To watch astronaut Anne McClain read this book aloud while orbiting Earth in the International Space Station, visit https://storytimefromspace.com/astronaut-annie-2

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