Femke and the black hole that swallowed her sock

‘Astronomers have seen how a black hole devours a star. There is no cutlery needed and not much in the way of table manners. Furthermore: the astronomers gave the longest burp ever to round off the meal. It’s been going on for over ten years.’
(Govert Schilling, the Volkskrant, 17-6-2018)

Everyone has heard of black holes, but what exactly is a black hole? Physicists Watse Sybesma and Diego Cohen think the time is right to make ‘black hole’ as much of a household word as ‘star’, ‘planet’ or ‘universe’. They introduce this apparently difficult and abstract topic to young children with the help of the curiosity-driven experiences of Femke and the black hole.

Femke’s adventure begins at night, when her sock suddenly disappears through the bedroom window. Femke goes after it and meets all kinds of celestial bodies during the search for her sock. She finally comes face to face with a black hole, the thief of her sock… Her experiences, in rhyme, are intended to be read aloud. When the story is finished, there is ‘more for curious people’, which includes a clear explanation of what black holes are, what happened to Femke’s sock and how it is possible that she got it back (well, almost). As such, the reader is well-prepared to answer any more questions the children may have.