Written and illustrated by Ashley Benham-Yazdani. Published by Candlewick Press, October 2023, and available online and in your local bookstore.

Cosmic Wonder

Cosmic Wonder tells the story of Halley’s Comet and all that it has seen in its thousands of visits to our night sky. It is a fusion of astronomy, human history, with a sprinkle of whimsical animism. Beginning in prehistoric times and spanning nearly the whole of human history, this book is a testament to the beauty of our planet, and the power of human innovation.

This was a true labor of love. I conceived the idea for this book while gazing at my brand new little son, my firstborn child, and wondering at the long thread of humans who had felt this same profound love before me. Work on the text and illustrations continued through my son’s first years, the isolation of the early pandemic, and my pregnancy with and birth of my second child. It is suffused with the love that parents feel for their children, and careful readers can find a subtle nod to parenthood in nearly every spread.

Praise for Cosmic Wonder

Beginning millennia ago and ending with a mention of 2061, Benham-Yazdani follows Earth and its denizens via the perspective of a returning Halley's Comet. . . . Mixed-media landscapes picture the bright, soft-edged comet shooting across an inky wash sky throughout this thought-provoking survey of human history.
--Publishers Weekly

A splendid reminder that past, present, and future are connected.
--Kirkus Reviews

Children who want to know more about Halley's comet after they come across it. . . will find much to enjoy here.
--Booklist

In her sweeping story of past, present and future, author/illustrator Ashley Benham-Yazdani considers the wonder of change on the planet, as humans become aware of the heavens and 'gaze right back' when the comet looks down.
--The Virginian Pilot