Official Review: Brooklyn Astronaut by Jermain Smith

[Juliana_Isabella]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Brooklyn Astronaut" by Jermain Smith.]

---

1 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Brooklyn Astronaut by Jermain Smith is a short children’s book about a young boy who hopes to become an astronaut one day. Jamuel lives in Brooklyn, New York and is surrounded by an encouraging family full of people who want him to follow his dreams. One day, his mother takes him to see the planetarium where his father works. Will Jamuel come home more interested in reaching the moon, or will he decide to set his sights on a different career? Pick up a copy to find out.

I appreciated that the author wanted to interest kids in science and space, especially in terms of a career. Jamuel is portrayed as a happy kid, and his parents and grandparents are invested in his dreams, though they caution him about how much hard work it will take to become an astronaut. The author even throws in fun facts about space for both readers and Jamuel during the visit to the planetarium.

Unfortunately, this book seriously lacks professionalism. Almost every sentence included an error of some sort, whether it be grammatical or typographical. The illustrations were clearly drawn by hand and could add a fun, rustic element to an otherwise polished book. However, since every aspect of the book is unpolished, the illustrations just feel like one more unprofessional element. The storyline is difficult to follow, as names and relations are thrown into the book with no explanation. For example, Uncle Josh is a character that shows up exactly once for one line of dialogue and then disappears. The author doesn’t use quotation marks to designate when a character is speaking, so it’s difficult to follow the characters through their journey. The plot is extremely simple, which isn’t a bad thing for a children’s book, but the effect of all of these elements is that the book appears thrown together and doesn’t seem to have experienced any editing or revision.

I would rate this book 1 out of 4 stars. I was excited to read a book that would encourage kids to pursue careers in science, but the product just did not deliver. From the writing to the illustrations, professionalism was lacking, and I couldn’t see myself paying for a book like this. If the writer is willing to hire an editor to improve on this version, we may see a more polished edition available in the future.

I would recommend this book to parents of children ages 3 to 7. I will caution parents that the errors in the book are so frequent and extreme that it is difficult to understand what is going on in the story. If, however, you want to take a shot, you might enjoy this book about a little boy who wants to travel to the stars.

******
Brooklyn Astronaut
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[MsH2k]

I’m really disappointed that the quality of this book is so poor. It is a great story and could inspire kids, especially with the new US Space Force as an option for service. Thank you for your review.

[That Reviewer]

It's unfortunate that this book lacks quality. Albeit, a very interesting plot.