This book is probably older, because it was few years ago that I read it, maybe around 2016 or so, and it was for a class that I read it. I cannot remember the title or many details about said book's cover, but I do remember that it had details of space on it, but this is a very vague memory. But the story itself is what I remember the most. So, if any of this sounds familiar, I would much appreciate the help.
The story starts with a boy, a younger boy, who wakes from suspended animation with his family and a few other crew members. They left Earth many years ago and it has been too long to go back. They enter a star system which they name Emmett. They land on a planet, the name of which I cannot remember.
They land on the planet and start to colonize it. The kid's mother is a botanist and while discovering what grows well on the planet, she encounters a lifeform. (There are drawings/pictures in this book as well). The lifeform, which they call Churrs, has a wavy, hair-like appearance. It is a moldy green colour and can float above ground. And then some things happen and finally it is discovered that the Churrs, which make a humming sound when they move, actually have their own civilization and should be left well enough alone.
Those are all the details I remembered of this book. I am pretty sure the author was male, but don't take my word for it.
