In her latest picture book, author Lydia Lukidis takes readers on an imagined journey up, up high to discover the surprising and wonderous things flying, floating, and happening between the treetops and the stars. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Lydia to discuss her new picture book Up, Up High and the journey of bringing it to life:

 

Congratulations on your forthcoming book, and the success of your previous picture book, Deep, Deep Down. What made you decide to follow this picture book by turning up to the sky?

It seemed like a logical follow up to Deep, Deep Down for a few reasons. First off, I love writing expository nonfiction. Secondly, I love learning more about our beautiful world. Many of my books take on an exploratory edge. I began by metaphorically diving into the deepest ocean on the planet and exploring the organisms that thrive there, and then I journeyed up, up high into the Earth’s atmosphere to explore the outer limits of our planet.

 

Tell us a little about Up, Up High.

Look up, up high. What do you see? We see the sky and clouds, and stars twinkling at night. But there’s a lot up there that we don’t see from here. In fact, in my research, I learned about a lot of scientific phenomena that exists in our atmosphere that’s not everyday knowledge. I was pleasantly amazed and I hope children will be too! They’ll discover the surprising and wondrous things flying, floating, and happening between the treetops and the stars.

 

What inspired you to focus on the Earth's atmosphere through poetry?

When I wrote Deep, Deep Down, I watched hours of footage from the Mariana Trench. At such a deep pressure, the creatures move slowly. It’s a magical yet alien world and I was completely mesmerized. I remember watching sea cucumbers slowly oscillating and crinoids tumbling like underwater acrobats. That’s when I realized: the Mariana Trench itself is a poem. I decided to write the text with lyrical language and cadence, to try to honor it.

When I started my first versions of Up, Up High, I tried out the same lyrical format and it worked well. Just like the trench, the Earth’s atmosphere has its own poetic qualities. The atmosphere is like an invisible ocean of gas that surrounds our planet. For the most part, it’s quiet and serene (except the troposphere!), and the further up you go, there’s less gravity. Imagine a satellite orbiting our planet, or the Aurora Borealis illuminating us. It’s poetry!

 

Did you face any challenges in weaving scientific concepts into this book?

My job as an author is to do extensive research on the topics I feature. But the hard part is distilling these complex scientific topics in a child friendly way. Often, my first drafts are didactic and read like straight forward nonfiction. That’s part of the process. I first have to figure out what I’m trying to say and then true revision can begin. I edit and edit until I find the most eloquent way to phrase things. I have been known to obsess over one line for weeks!

 

Up, Up High is full of fascinating facts. One of our favorites concerns the dangerous sport of space jumping. Is this a sport you would partake in?

It’s one of my favorite parts too! In 2012, Felix Baumgartner accomplished the first space jump. I started writing about him but then realized another man had also succeeded in space jumping, years later. In 2024, Alan Eustace jumped from space and free fell for over 14 minutes. He travelled faster than the speed of sound! Can you imagine that?

Now, would I space jump? NO! I would not describe myself as a thrill seeker, but I sure do like to write about these experiences! I like having my feet firmly planted on the ground.

 

Up, Up High takes the reader on a journey through all of the 5 layers that make up Earth's atmosphere, from the troposphere through to the exosphere. Which atmospheric layer fascinates you the most, and why?

Each layer has its own beauty and mystery. But I feel most mesmerized by the mesosphere (which we currently know the least about). That’s because of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs). I confess I didn’t know what these were until I wrote this book. I loved writing the spread on sprites, which are large scale electric discharges. They are beautiful!

While writing this book, I was also trying to figure out where our atmosphere ends and where space begins. I couldn’t find a definitive answer Some scientists believe the Kármán line is where space officially begins (it’s in the thermosphere). Others say that as the air diminishes, our atmosphere gradually fades away until there’s only space.

 

What do you want readers to take away from this picture book?

Another great question! The first thing I’d love for readers to remember is how precious our atmosphere is, none of us would be here without it. The Earth’s atmosphere is like a blanket protecting us. At the same time, it also gives us life. We often take it for granted because it’s invisible, but it’s essential to our existence.

The second thing I’d love readers to hold in their hearts is the wonder of our world. It’s magical, vast, and truly remarkable. And imagine, we still don’t know everything there is to know!

 

Can you give us a sneak peek to what’s coming next from you?

I absolutely love writing about animals, especially those that are misunderstood and get a bad rap. I was lucky enough to be asked by Capstone to write about a little furry creature that are often vilified, bats! The book is called Bats! Mysterious and Misunderstood Mammals (Out Fall 2025) and it really challenges many misconceptions we have about bats. Actually, bats are very helpful to us. They’re are pollinators, they distribute seeds, and they act as natural pesticides. They help keep the balance in nature.

I’ll also mention that being Greek, I’m fascinated by Greek mythology. I wrote a series of Mythology Matchup books for Capstone where we pitted one God (or Goddess) against another to see who was more powerful. Fun stuff!

 

About the Author
Lydia Lukidis is the author of more than 50 trade and educational books for children. They include Deep, Deep, Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone Editions, 2023), a Crystal Kite Award winner, a 2024 Forest of Reading Honour Book, Ontario Library Association, and a Cybils Award nominee, as well as Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman & Company, 2024). A resident of Quebec, Canada, and a science enthusiast, Lydia incorporates her scientific studies and everlasting curiosity into her books. For more information, please visit Lydia's website at www.lydialukidis.com where you can find free activities and teacher guides.

 

 

 

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