Hoe word je astronaut - EN

how Scarlett becomes an

astronaut

André Kuipers

Dear Scarlett, Nothing is impossible. You too can become an astronaut! This book will help you on your way. Grandpa and Grandma

André and Mouse are looking out of the window. His cousin is coming to stay, which is always great fun! Scarlett loves space just as much as he does. Ham will be coming with Scarlett, he’s her favourite cuddly toy. Ham is named after the first chimpanzee in space.

There they are! Scarlett has her space helmet on, ready to go.

“Hi André! Hi Mouse!”, Scarlett calls out happily.

André’s bedroom is full of books about stars and planets, and there are posters of rockets on every wall.

Scarlett looks up at the planets on the ceiling.

“Did you see all of those from your rocket?” she asks.

“I’d really like to see them, too!

How do you become an astronaut?”

The Little Astronaut looks at his cousin.

“Well... it takes quite a bit of work.”

“Astronauts work out a lot,” André says. “They need to be fit.”

“I love to run,” says Scarlett. “And I ride my bike to school!”

“That’s awesome!” says André. “That’s a great start. Astronauts have to eat healthy food, too. Every day, they should have an orange or banana, apples, broccoli...”

The Little Astronaut looks at his cousin.

“Do you eat fruits and veggies every day?”

Scarlett nods.

“Should astronauts be brave enough to climb up very high, too?” she asks. André laughs. “Don’t worry, that won’t be necessary,” he says.

“Did you know there are astronauts who are afraid of heights?”

“You float in space,” André continues.

“Which is so much fun! There’s no above or below in space.”

“I went round and round on the swing ride!” Scarlett says.

“And I’m brave enough to go on a rollercoaster with a loop-the-loop!”

“It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?” André says. “Like flying in a rocket!”

“Do you enjoy swimming, too? Can you go under water?”

Scarlett nods and dives onto her guest bed.

she calls out.

“Well done!” André says. “Astronauts practise in a big, deep swimming pool. When you’re under water it feels like you’re floating, just like in space!”

“Splash!”

Scarlett points to a poster of a rocket, with fire coming from the engines.

“Wow, look at that, Ham,” she says to her monkey. “That’s so cool!”

“Do you know how a rocket works?” asks André.

Scarlett shakes her head.

The Little Astronaut takes a balloon from his nightstand. His cousin looks surprised.

“You’re probably wondering what a balloon has to do with a rocket,” André grins.

“First, I blow up the balloon. Then, when I let go of the opening, the air wants to leave the balloon as quickly as possible. Watch what happens. Count down with me?

André releases the balloon.

The balloon arches through the air.

“That’s how a real rocket works, too,” says André. “The gas from the engines pushes the rocket forward.”

PPPFFFTTT!

“Now for something a bit more difficult” says André. “Astronauts have to learn which planets orbit our sun.” He points at the planets on the ceiling.

“Which ones do you know?”

Scarlett jumps up. “I know them all, I just don’t know which order they’re in.”

“I’ll help you,” says André.

“Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars… …Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.”

“And that’s the dwarf planet, Pluto,” Scarlett says. She points at the small planet that is furthest from the sun.

“Well done!” says André. “But... where’s the moon?”

“I’m not falling for that,” Scarlett grins. “The moon isn’t a planet! The moon belongs to our Earth!”

André walks over to the globe in the corner of his room. He places his hand on it and spins the globe around.

“This,” he says, “is our Earth. It’s not only beautiful, but also very special. It hangs up there in the dark universe like a bright, blue orb.

Scarlett springs up. “The blue parts are all water, right?” she asks.

“That’s right,” André says. “Without water, we wouldn’t be able to survive here.” André points to the green and brown parts on the globe. “These parts are land, where all of the people on Earth live,” he says.

“Where do we live?” Scarlett asks. André points to where they are. “I’d like to learn where all the different countries are,” says Scarlett “When I’m up in the rocket and look down at Earth, I know exactly where I am!” André says.

KNOCK! knock!

“Bonjour! Comment ça va?”

The bedroom door flies open and in run Valentina and Laika! Laika heads straight for André. The Little Astronaut is happy to see his best friend and her dog. He gives them both a big hug.

“Scarlett, did you hear Valentina?” André asks.

“She said in French “Hello! How are you?”

“Bonjour, hola, hallå, privjet... they all mean ‘Hello!’,” says Valentina.

“Hola Scarlett!”

“I have something fun for you!”

Valentina says, opening up her rucksack.

“TADAAA!”

She takes out a long piece of bunting, with lots of flags for different countries from all over the world.

“Scarlett, shall we see if we know which countries five of the flags belong to?”

Valentina asks, smiling.

“Astronauts are from different countries,” says André. “They learn to speak a different language so they can talk to each other.”

“I’d like to be able to do that, too,” says Scarlett.

“French, Spanish, maybe even Chinese...”

“One of the most important astronaut tasks is doing experiments,” says André. “Everything floats, so you can research different things in space than you can on Earth.”

André slides something big away from the window.

“Look,” he says. “This is a glove box!

It’s the best birthday gift I’ve ever received.”

Scarlett presses her nose against the box glass. There are two gloves sticking into it.

“Astronauts often use this,” Valentina says, laughing.

“Stick your hands in!”

Scarlett giggles. “It feels a bit funny.”

“It takes a little getting used to,” says André.

“But it’s a crucial bit of kit in space.

Imagine accidentally spilling a dangerous substance. This box ensures that it won’t float away into the space station!”

“Come on, let’s do an experiment” Valentina says. She walks over to the door.

“Could you put a towel down on the floor, Scarlett?”

“I’ll be right back!” she says. “You’ll love this...”

André laughs. He should have expected this! Valentina loves experiments.

Valentina sets down a bucket, which contains a layer of water.

“What will happen if I hold this bucket upside down?” she asks Scarlett.

“The water will fall out,” says Scarlett. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, watch what happens if I swing the bucket around.”

The bucket swings around and around, without a single drop falling out. “See that?” Valentina asks. “The water floats along with the bucket.” “This is exactly what happens when a space station orbits the Earth,” says André. “As long as the space station turns at a high enough speed, the astronaut floats along with the space station!”

“Exactly!” Valentina calls out.

“And if you stop swinging the bucket around...” Valentina holds the bucket over her head.

The water drips off her hair and into her face.

Valentina laughs and laughs. André laughs too, and winks at his cousin. “Typical Valentina,” he grins.

“Tonight is a special night,” André says to his cousin.

“As soon as it gets dark, we’ll go outside.”

“But first, we have a surprise for you,” Valentina says to Scarlett, with a mysterious look on her face.

André opens his closet and takes out some space suits. Scarlett jumps up. “Wow! Can I really wear one?”

André laughs. “Of course!” he says.

“Come on, we’ll help you put your space suit on.”

The Little Astronauts climb the hill in the dark. Scarlett takes big steps in her space suit. The helmet takes some getting used to. Where are they going? It’s all so exciting!

André stops. “We’re here,” he says. “Just look up!”

There are countless stars shining bright in the dark night sky.

“Wow, it’s beautiful...” Scarlett whispers. She holds Ham tightly in her arms. André nudges his cousin gently and points. “Look, there’s the moon. And that red dot over there... that’s Mars. And Jupiter is somewhere over there...”

“When you’re standing on this hill, you can see a great distance,” André continues. “It makes the Earth seem very big. But when you’re flying through space, Earth is just a little globe. Just like the planets we’re seeing now.”

Scarlett can’t quite believe her eyes. “So this is what Earth looks like to astronauts from their rocket... like a little globe floating in space?”

André nods. “Earth is kind of like a spaceship floating through space. A spaceship on which all people, animals and plants live together. That’s why we have to work together and make sure we share everything with each other...”

Valentina looks at Scarlett. “Do you know what that means?” she asks.

There’s a moment of silence.

“That we’re all astronauts,” Scarlett says proudly.

“Astronauts from Spaceship Earth!”

This book is printed on special paper that is made of elephant grass. It is better for the environment. Elephant grass can absorb up to four times as much CO2 as a regular forest. This plant grows often on undeveloped land and doesn’t need extra water nor pesticides, keeping our planet healthy and happy.

Vibers bv, Rotterdam- www.vibersinside.com

Ø 20 mm voor bv drukwerk

Ptn. 368

© 2023 A YourSurprise publication in collaboration with André Kuipers and SpacePlays BV

Text: André & Helen Kuipers

Illustrations: Paco Vink / pacovink.nl

Design: Mandy Emmen / mandyemmen.nl

Author’s photo: Nico Kroon

© 20231 SpaceEgg BV

www.little-astronauts.com

www.andrekuipers.com

Order: www.yoursurprise.com

Print: ARSprintmedia

We would like to inspire as many children as possible with adventurous stories about the universe and our beautiful but fragile planet. If you would like to share parts of this book “How Scarlett becomes an astronaut” with others, we encourage you to do this but please mention the source. The content of this book is of course protected by copyright.

André the Little Astronaut is expecting a visitor. His cousin, Scarlett, is coming to stay, which is always great fun!

Scarlett wants to be an astronaut when she grows up. But how do you become one? Does an astronaut have to be brave enough to climb up very high?

Be able to swim very well? What other skills are needed? André and his astronaut friend Valentina take Scarlett to a very special place and share a real astronaut secret.

How can you become an astronaut?

This is the question that André Kuipers is most often asked. This illustrated book contains his playful answer to that question.