Faraway Friends

Faraway Friends written and illustrated by Russ Cox (2015)

Sheldon’s best friend has just moved away and all of his things have been packed in a truck marked Jupiter Moving Co. So Sheldon decides that he and his trusty dog, Jet will build a spaceship to go visit his best friend on Jupiter. He draws up the plans, collects the materials he needs, and builds a spaceship. Together, Sheldon and Jet blast off into outer space. They travel around satellites, past planets and through space storms. Then they crash land back home. Now, they’ll never see their best friend. But from the other side of the fence, another moving van has arrived. This one from Mercury Movers. An alien creature named Rubin arrives with his alien life form, Nova (the cat). Sheldon and Jet welcome them to Earth and share their rocket ship so that they can all go on the Jupiter mission together.

It’s time to take a space adventure of your own!

Just like the story, combine silly with educational and blast off. Learn something about each planet and imagine what life forms could live there. Basically if you have goggly eyes you can make anything! Use scraps of paper, tubes, paint, pipe cleaners, etc. and be creative.

Make a stained glass window or paper mache model of the Earth (or any planet).

Learn the names of the planets in order with this simple little song.

Anyone up for an exploding planet? Try mixing up a Fizzing Jupiter in your kitchen.