ALA Booklist (Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)

Astrid, a young child who loves outer space, aspires to become an astronaut. Swinging her around and around, Papa says that she'll have to circle Earth in her spaceship. "I can do that," she giggles. Tossing her up and catching her, he wonders, can she get used to zero gravity? Yes! Science experiments? "No problem." Their conversation continues as Papa drives his daughter to the space center, where they welcome Mama back from her flight. Astrid tells her, "I want to be an astronaut, just like you." Wilson-Max, who grew up in Zimbabwe and studied design in London, offers a playful, conversational text and bold, vibrant acrylic paintings, which depict Astrid and her parents with brown skin and black hair. The illustrated back matter introduces five notable women astronauts from India, Russia, the U.K., and the U.S. (including Shannon Lucid and Mae Jemison), along with a few facts related to space travel. First published in England, this picture book offers an inclusive, worldwide vision of astronauts for all little children who dream of space travel.

Kirkus Reviews

This simple story embraces a little girl's determination to become an astronaut.Astrid wants to be an astronaut. Readers meet the young preschooler as she uses her telescope to look at the stars out her bedroom window. On the next page, she shares her dreams of space with her best friend while they lie in the grass, looking up. Some cool facts emerge in Astrid's conversation with her father, like how astronauts "[eat] food out of a tube or a package every day." That doesn't faze Astrid. Papa then prepares his "Astro Girl" for zero g by tossing her up in the air before they make rocket-shaped cookies together and then turn in. "At last it was time to go get Mama." Papa and Astrid arrive at the space center, where readers see three silhouettes in the doorway. One of them is Astrid's mom—she's an astronaut. Wilson-Max hits the trifecta with a nurturing primary-caregiver father and a successful STEM-career mother heading this loving family of color. The simple, present-tense text questions none of these things, normalizing them for a preschool audience. His characteristic black-lined, painterly acrylics place this family in a cozy home complete with dog. Backmatter offers some further information, most notably a timeline of women, including women of color, in space.A girl-power book that any child will enjoy. (Picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

PreS-K Young Astrid is adamant about her ambitions to become an astronaut. During their day together, Dad reminds her of the challenges: "You'll have to go round and round the Earth in your spaceship" as he spins her around the room. "'You'll also have to get used to zero gravity.' Papa threw her up in the air. "I can do that all day long!' Astrid laughed." They practice doing science experiments together by baking cookies. Astrid seems somewhat sure she'll be able to sleep on her own among the stars. The girl's inspiration comes to light when it's time to pick up Mama from workat the space center where's she's just returned from a mission. Large acrylic paintings in rich jewel tones bring Astrid's world to life. From her telescope and rocket T-shirt, to her Space Hoops cereal, this preschooler is on her way to achieving her dreams. VERDICT This author/illustrator of the "Max" series continues his perfect connection to young listeners and concludes with 10 fast facts on astronaut history. Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA