It’s no secret that I’m always on the lookout for new books, especially for kids, that give insight into scientific and astronomic discoveries and those who made them. When I saw this title about early thinking of stars as gasses, I knew I had to catch up with author Laura Alary to learn more:
Me: Congratulations on your enlightening new picture book, THE CURIOUS LIFE OF CECILIA PAYNE: Discovering the Stuff of Stars (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Jan. 2026)! I was enamored to learn about Cecilia Payne and her insightful discoveries. What inspired you to create this book?
Laura: I was introduced to Cecilia Payne through an episode of Cosmos (the Neil deGrasse Tyson version). I was struck by the magnitude of her discovery and by the fact that I had never heard of her before! I wanted to know more, so I started doing some background reading. The more I learned about Cecilia, the more convinced I became that her story should be better known. Not only did she have a lasting impact on astrophysics and our understanding of the chemical composition of the universe, she’s also a great example of someone who bumped up against a lot of obstacles but kept on doing her work to the best of her ability. She had a lot of gumption and I admire that. I wanted kids to have the chance to get to know her and her contributions to science much sooner than I did.
Me: We take so much for granted – stars are made of gas – that was mere speculation 100 years ago. What is something little understood now that you’d like the Cecilia’s of today to illuminate for common understanding 100 years in the future?
Laura: Well, there are plenty of big questions still unanswered. What are the invisible parts of the universe made of? Are we alone? What is consciousness and who (or what) has it? That last question is especially intriguing to me because how we answer it could have a big impact on how we perceive (and treat) other living beings. When I was a kid, for instance, I never thought of plants as being conscious in any way. Since then, science has taught us so much about how trees communicate and how forests are intricate systems or communities. These discoveries have given me a much greater appreciation for other kinds of life. I hope there are some young Cecilias out there who can make new discoveries that show us more clearly than ever that we are part of an interconnected cosmos. Maybe if that was more widely accepted humans might do some things differently.
Me: Yas Imamura’s beautifully detailed and expressive watercolor (and/or gouache?) illustrations really help Cecilia shine. What was your experience or involvement in seeing her help bring your words to life?
Laura: I feel so fortunate that Yas has brought her talents to this book. She is such a gifted visual storyteller. My main contribution was to stay out of the way and let her work her magic! As is typical in publishing, Yas and I had no direct communication throughout the process. However, I did get to see the art taking shape, starting with the rough sketches. Because I had done more of the background reading and research, I was able to add a few historical and biographical details, like the fact that Cecilia’s mother was an accomplished artist (Yas ended up depicting her in her studio).
In one of the spreads of Cecilia as an undergraduate at Cambridge, the text talks about Cecilia being out of place as a woman. In her original sketch, Yas placed Cecilia in the back row of the lecture hall, which makes sense because we often think of excluded people being pushed to the back or the margins. But I had read that Cecilia actually had to sit in the front row, where there was no place for her to put her books and she was right under the nose of the lecturer. That detail shaped the final art. I was also able to find and share some archival photos that helped a bit with questions like: What did those glass plates really look like? What should be written on the blackboard?
Apart from that, I just sat back and was delighted by the subtle and beautiful ways Yas interpreted the story through images. Another spread I love is the one where Cecilia first arrives at Cambridge. The text talks about what exciting days those were and the kind of cutting-edge work that was being done in atomic physics. But the history of scholarship at Cambridge goes back centuries (Isaac Newton was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics there) and Cecilia must have been aware of that. In her illustrations, Yas shows Cecilia striding through stars (and other symbols of her studies) and in the background are silhouettes of scholars from earlier times. In a single image she has depicted both past and present. I thought that was brilliant.
Me: How did you get into writing books for kids?
Laura: I’ve always loved reading and writing. As an only child, I turned to books as companions and was rarely without one. Early on I started making my own little books, but never seriously considered writing for children as a career. That happened after my first child was born. At the time, I had just finished my Ph.D. and was worn out from writing my thesis. As I was learning how to be a mum, I was also trying to find my way back to enjoying writing. Going to the library, reading stacks of picture books, singing songs and playing with language with my little son helped me with both tasks. After a while, I decided to try writing a picture book of my own. I loved it so much I haven’t stop since!
Me: Can you share what you’re working on next?
Laura: I have two more books coming out in 2026. Around the Circle: Celebrating the Church Year is a journey through the liturgical seasons for young children. It will be published in July by Beaming Books. In the fall, Nimbus is publishing a picture book about friendship and communication set in Newfoundland in 1901, with a real historical event in the background. The title hasn’t been announced yet, so I can’t say more, but it’s a sweet story and in its own way includes a bit of science and technology. Anyone who wants to keep up with my book news is welcome to follow me on Instagram (@laura.alary) or FB (@lauraalaryauthor). Or you can check out my website (lauraalary.ca) and sign up for my newsletter.
Thank you, Jonathan, for the chance to talk about my work, especially The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne!
Me: Thank you so much for chatting, Laura. Wishing your book much success!
To learn more, please go to Laura Alary – Writing stories that make us bigger on the inside.
