Review: ‘The Little Particle That Could’

The Little Particle That Could
Written by Jason Rodriguez, illustrated by Noel Tuazon
Tiny Quasars, $14.95
Ages 3-6

Wandering away a little from our site title—but format debates are boring!—The Little Particle That Could is an adorable educational children’s book with plenty of distinctive, charming illustrations. It’s a board book, but it’s the size of an elongated pack of index cards.

As told by Jason Rodriguez, it’s the story of a happy particle who “spun all day and pulled, pulled, pulled things down to Earth.” This is about a graviton, in parental words, happily bopping along until the day she sees a light photon, which never stops moving. The two finally meet inside a black hole.

Noel Tuazon conveys how the little gravity particle is always happy and spinning. Her smiling face and green ponytail draw in the reader to enjoy movement with her. Light, meanwhile, is darker-skinned with a bright white suit, a great choice.

This simple book tells a story of friendship and exploration, all the while introducing some complex scientific concepts in an approachable way. It could be the first step on a path to discovering the wonders of physics and its many conceptual marvels, particularly if the reader enjoys the page of short notes about particles and black holes in the back.

Filed under: All Ages, Reviews