"I kept a keen eye on my pet tardigrade.
But one day I lost sight of him!
I thought Eon was gone forever.
I searched
and searched ... "
Do you know the word tardigrade? I did not; it turns out that it is an invertebrate that is barely visible to a child's eye. A young girl with her eye to her microscope makes the discovery while looking for something else. Imagine her surprise when he showed up there! Tiny and pink, with two visible eyes, he plodded slowly under her careful observation. He was barely a tickle when she held him on her palm. Oh, she wanted to hug him.
She would do her best to take care of him. Could she? How? She had so many ideas. As she watched and imagined she gave him the name Eon. Through research she learned about tardigrades, also known as water bears. There was so much more to learn than that; 'he is a master of extremes', having the ability to live in the coldest ice, the hottest volcanoes. And even more:
"The tallest mountains
and the deepest oceans.
The tangliest woods
and the ooziest muds."
Tardigrades are even found in outer space. Could she create that kind of space in her bedroom for her tiny pet? It was very easy to lose sight of him. After a very long search, the tardigrade she found was completely changed. His big secret lay in his ability to tuck in, curl up and become like a speck of dust to blow away and find a new place that was just right. She did that for him, and hoped for the best.His new world would be perfect for him, and the new friends he found. Might she see him again one day?
An author's note connects Cybele Young to her encounter with a tardigrade, and all that she learned from it. She also introduces Nell Jocelyn and her exceptional artwork as a collaborator in creating the imaginary world of a young girl and her desire to keep the bearlike creature safe. You will need plenty of time to carefully observe and appreciate the delicate and engaging work done to create a world, specially meant for a tiny tardigrade.
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