Mark Greenwood (text) & Lucia Masciullo (illustrator), Lucky’s star: The Story of a Meteorite, CSIRO Publishing, June 2025, 32 pp., RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781486318070
Lucky was milking the cows when it arrived from outer space. Crackling, fizzing, zipping and whizzing, a fireball shot across the sky, lighting up fields and farms. Small rocks are strewn across the Murchison pastures and the locals are concerned they might carry alien germs. Lucky is fascinated by the rocks and keeps one in a glass jar. She calls it her star and wonders If a star falls, does it leave an empty space in the sky? She tries all sorts of ways to send her ‘star’ back into the heavens. A professor explains that Lucky’s star is in fact a meteorite and together they find the best place for her star to shine.
This fascinating picture book is based on the real Murchison meteorite that fell on a small farming town in Victoria in 1969. The last pages of the book detail the facts about the meteorite and its importance to science. It is considered one of the most important space rocks in history as it contains the oldest material ever found – stardust! There is also a handy glossary included.
Masciullo has created whimsical pastel illustrations, using traditional methods, of Lucky, her hometown and her special dog companion that bring the story to life. She includes small details to indicate the time period of the story: the fashions worn by the women; a car; the items on Lucky’s desk at home, which include a 45 RPM vinyl record.
Greenwood and Masciullo have created a picture book that supports several STEAM subjects in a way that is gentle and appealing. I am sure it will ignite children’s curiosity about how the earth came to be, our solar system and the origins of life on earth.
Teacher Notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum are available from the CSIRO Publishing website.
Highly Recommended for ages 5 to 9.
Reviewed by Gaby Meares
