1) To get a copy of the book (in the UK) for you, or your child please first make a donation to our PayPal Pool (suggested donation is Ā£5.99 which is the RRP, but any amount helps!) All the donations will go towards buying our next print run so we can continue to give the book away for Free to children in schools across the UK.
Please use this PayPalPoolLink to pay for your book (pay what you feel, but note you get š Free postage + packing too!)
2) Then please email me the address you want me to send your book to, and if you want the book signed to a specific person/child tell me their first name in the email.
3) If you would like me to send a Free copy to a school for their library please email me the school address and include a teacher’s name.
4) The e-book is now available on the Kindle here. All the royalties from these sales will also go towards our next print run.
5) If you are outside the UK, don’t worry, you can still get your hands on a paperback copy of the book through Amazon.
All of the people who have rated the book so far have given it 5 stars***** see their reviews below:
Reviews
It was excellent – Benedict, aged 9
I really loved the book. I haven’t had the attention to focus on a book in two years and it kept me hooked. The way Seren was written felt very reflective of my younger self, and I enjoyed learning about Aurora along the way. -Rhianna, aged 20
Fascinating and amazing! I was gripped but the story and know that the age group (9-13) is perfect for it! I have always wanted to see the Aurora too from when I was little like Seren! -Chrissie, aged 76
I bought the book for my 10 year old grandson from Australia who has ADHD and is fascinated by the solar system. Then I read it myself before giving it to him – wow! Really well written and suitable for adults as well as young people. – Sue, aged 79
It made me feel calm and happy – Joanna, aged 8
Seren and the Polar Bear Cub is a beautifully written and captivating children. The book takes readers on an unforgettable adventure under the auroras. Seren discovers the wonder of the northern lights while showing readers that having a different kind of brain is something to celebrate. The book blends excitement and education, making it hard to put down. Seren’s curiosity, energy, and problem solving makes it relatable and inspiring, showcasing those who think and learn differently. It also brings the auroras to life, while the adventures keep you engaged. I loved the friendship between Seren and the bear cub, this made it both heartwarming and empowering. I recommend this book for children with curious minds . It also introduces children to the science of the beautiful auroras and I liked Seren’s self acceptance of neurodiversity. – Liz, aged 79
It was very nice and it was very touching – Zayan, aged 10
I’m an adult just starting my space-science career, but I still absolutely loved this book and wish I could have read it when I was younger! It is the perfect balance of adventure, real science (even more exciting than science fiction!) and a little bit of arctic magic. The very last line made me tear up a bit on reflection of how far I’ve come since I was Seren’s age. I hope many more children will be inspired by this book to feed their curiosity and take an interest in science. – Kate, aged 22
A lovely, well written , comical and entertaining children’s book suitable for all ages to enjoy – Julie, aged 66
I loved this book. I love Seren. She reminds me of someone I knowā¦! I’m really looking forward to reading Seren and the Polar Bear Cub with my children. I know they will enjoy the adventure, laugh at the funny bits, and learn lots about astronomy. It gives such a great message about embracing our differences and learning from each other too. I keep thinking of people I want to recommend it to! – Grace, aged 41
If you or your child have already read the book, but haven’t rated it yet, please go to my short Google Form link to give me your honest review (just like the people quoted above did :D).
This new, children’s fiction book is all about a young girl who is inspired by the prospect of seeing the aurora from her own garden in South Wales. She ends up in Svalbard on an epic adventure with some space scientists from the University of Southampton. The subject of the book is very āon trendā among British children because recent solar events meant the aurora was visible in the UK in May and October of last year.
Through the book, I try to engage the reader in learning about the physics of the aurora, using my experience in Physics outreach to do so in an age appropriate and entertaining way.
Inspired
Two primary age children who read the book dressed up as the heroine of my book, Seren, for World Book Day in 2025 and I think this is the greatest compliment I could receive for the book and its main character š
I have self-published the book with funds from the University of Southampton where I work as the āAstronomy Public Engagement Leaderā. I applied to fund the self-publishing of this work through our āPublic Engagement with Research unitā and they agreed to fund the cover illustration and printing of the first 750 copies so the book can be used as a vehicle to engage young children with the University’s Aurora science research.
I launched the book at our āHands on Humanities family dayā in November 2024, this a free event which runs in Southampton city centre to engage the public with the Humanities. After the popularity of the book at this event I then secured further funding from both the Astronomy and Space Environment Physics research groups for a second print run to allow me to give out another 250 copies at our Science and Engineering Family Day in March 2025.
To date I have distributed over 1,000 books ā most of these were given out for free to children at outreach events at primary schools as part of our ‘Aurora Art’ workshop or posted to schools for their school library (with >45 of those books being purchased for Ā£5.99 each by people across the world).
The inspiration for this book came from my own adventure in January 2020 where I accompanied my space scientist colleagues on an expedition to Svalbard, Norway (see images of me outside the Radar station above). My part in the expedition involved writing a daily blog and linking up with local schools in order to launch tour new āAurora Zooā citizen science project (aurorazoo.org). After seeing the aurora for the first time on that trip and having a real-life encounter with a polar bear, I felt compelled to write a childrenās story set in this amazing and weird place.
Neurodivergence
Having also recently been diagnosed with ADHD, I have been looking back on my own experiences in school. I remember feeling very isolated sometimes, because I knew I was different, but I didnāt know why. Now I know, and my struggles in school, specifically in social situations, make more sense. So, after this revelation; It was important to me that my book’s heroine also had ADHD. I know as young child I would have appreciated reading a book about a child who was ājust like meā. I try to use comedic writing as much as possible to showcase how Serenās neurodiversity can also be a strength.
Please allow up to 7 days for the books to arrive to you from the day you order them (by sending me your address). I am distributing these from my own office with help from a student, around outreach visits in local schools and teaching undergrads so please be patient š
Please use this PayPalPoolLink to Donate to our next print runš
Thanks so much for your interest in the book, Happy Reading š
Kind Regards,
Dr Sadie Jones
P.s. If you have any contacts or suggestions about how I could get my book published and in book stores do please email me because that would be amazing!
