Amazon.com

The perfect first space book for those almost-readers, There's No Place Like Space takes us on a whirlwind tour of our solar system, with a few constellations thrown in for good measure. Cat in the Hat (along with beloved Thing One and Thing Two) straps on his space suit and rhymes his way among the nine planets, presenting important facts along the way. Where else could your preschooler learn phonics and astronomy at same time? "A planet can have satellites that surround it.Uranus has lots of these objects around it" is just one example. This is a fine addition to the library of any young stargazer--few books are written with this many facts furnished in such an easy-reading manner. (Preschool to early reader) --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent!
My 4 year old LOVES this book. It presents accurate information about the planets in a simplified, fun way that young readers (and parents, too) enjoy. If your budding astronomer or astronaut is looking for simple, fun, colorful books about space, this is the best!

A wonderful book!
I cannot say how impressed I am with The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, they truly are wonderful books. There's No Place Like Space! is fun to read and helps children understand space and our solar system in a fun rhythmic way. My son loves this book and has shared it with his pre-school class with high praises from his teachers. The information in this book will give a young child a good base of knowledge for future learning.

Loved by both young and old alike
This book is wonderful! I feel that any time a book sparks the interest for young people it deserves high praise. My daughter enjoys all of the books in the Dr. Suess Learning Library Series, but especially this one. ... Read more

Book Description

On a special field trip in the magic school bus, Ms. Frizzle's class goes into outer space and visits each planet in the solar system. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Best children's science series ever.
The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System is one is a series of science adventure books by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (Illustrator), all of which are trulky excellent. The chart the adventures of Ms. Frizzle and her class as they go on some really interesting field trips.

The books operate on several levels. They work as adventure stories as the manner in which they get diverted from an ordinary school field trip to the adventure at hand is always entertaining. The illustrations are truly wonderful and add to the story line very effectively. The books do in fact contain a lot of basic information about the topic at hand, so your kids are actually learning something as they read. And, as a final bonus, the books always involve some sore of class socialization issue, so your kids are exposed to some real life classroom issue, (here it's a Miss know-it-all type) and strategies for dealing with them as well. On top of all that, the books are just plain fun.

A great series for late pre-schoolers and early elementary age kids. So, what are you waing for? Jump on the Magic School Bus and have some fun!!!

Magic School Bus Lost in Solar System
Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System
By Joanna Cole
Illustrated by Bruce Degen

In the beginning of the story the class is going to the museum. But it is closed for construction so Mrs. Frizzle pulls a lever and they blast off in to space. The first thing they go to is our Moon then the sun then Mercury then Venus then Mars. Then they come to the Asteroid Belt. They lose Mrs. Frizzle and on the way back to Earth they find Mrs. Frizzle in the Asteroid Belt. And in this book Arnold's cousin comes with them and she keeps on touching Mrs. Frizzle`s things when she is gone When she is lost they tell her not to but she does anyway. This book tells me all about the universe. And the plants and when they get back to earth they make a project about the Solar System. I think that anyone could like this book. I say it would be good when you are studying the universe. That is the time you should read this book. Like I said it could be good for everybody I'm 9 and I still like this book so I bet you will to. I like this book because it is very interesting.

The Magic School Bus
This book is about a class who goes to the musuem but it is closed. So they see it up close. Janet was bragging about everything. After the trip they had learned a lot

I think the book is about being nice. The book is about learning new things. Learning new things is part of life. The book is saying to learn. The book is telling us to try new things.

I think the book is nice. The book has a series. It teaches you stuff. It also is funny. It's my favorite. It's fun to read.

Magic school bus "lost in solar system"
I like this book because it has to deal with the solar system and i like to learn about space. It does a very good job teaching you about it, and the book was really fun to read. I like how the bus turnes into a space ship and goes to all the planets.

Star Light, Star Bright
Not content with what Earth has to offer, Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a field trip of outer space for the fourth installment of this acclaimed science series, "The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System." Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen are bright as ever in their latest out-of-this-world adventure.

The Friz was already planning for this field trip at the end of her previous voyage, "Inside the Human Body." She informs her students that they're "going to the planetarium to see a sky show about the solar system." And since the kids have already swam through water ("At the Waterworks"), dug up rocks ("Inside the Earth"), and been digested ("Inside the Human Body"), an afternoon at the planetarium seems like a walk through the park. Or, better yet, through the solar system!

There is only one thing dimming everyone's shining star. Arnold's cousin, Janet, is visiting for the day and she isn't exactly the quiet type. She's a regular Ms. Know-It-All, expressing her opinions whenever she feels like it. "I know all of you will be nice to our guest," says Ms. Frizzle. And with that, the class blasts off for the planetarium.

However, it looks like the Friz's mission has been grounded. The planetarium is closed for repairs! But that's when the magic school bus takes matters into its own hands. If you can't bring the stars to you, simply go to them yourself!

The students in Ms. Frizzle's class learn all sorts of interesting facts about outer space. They get up-close and personal with the other eight planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They are educated on universal bodies such as the Asteroid Belt, meteorites, the Sun, various moons, and rings of the planets. They even find out about things such as gravity, orbits, sunspots, various temperatures in space, etc.

Then something happens that threatens to end the students' quest of knowledge through the solar system. What will Ms. Frizzle do? And even though Janet is a bit haughty, is she the only one that can save the entire class from drifting off into space?

Once again, Cole and Degen prove they have no boundaries. Mixing humor and truth - and not to mention a dose of drama - author and illustrator lead Ms. Frizzle's class and readers alike on an intriguing journey of the solar system. Written in 1990, "Lost in the Solar System" is yet another solid effort from all those involved. But would you expect anything less at this point?

The end of this book, like the three before it, has useful information on what was fact in the story and what was made up. And, like she's done three times before, Ms. Frizzle leaves the reader another clue as to what spectacular exploration she has rolled up her sleeves during our next encounter. Dolphins, fishes and sharks - oh, my! If her outfit is any indication, readers had better start packing their diving suits right now!

As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Buckle up, class. We're going down!" ... Read more

Book Description

Success four flights Thursday...In December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright sent a telegram to their father. Its simple message told of the brothers' historic flights at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. For the very first time, a person flew in a heavier-than-air machine. In the years that followed, the Wright brothers' fame grew as they shared their new invention with the world. Readers will discover the Wright brothers' lives by reading and seeing Orville and Wilbur's own letters, notebooks, and diaries. Kids will hear the brothers' story as if they were really there!
... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great job combining math, history, science & geography!
This is a picture book format biography of Eratosthenes, who lived in Ancient Greece, focusing on how he calculated the size of the Earth using a mathematical formula and measurements taken by measuring shadows and length of footsteps from one location to another. Eratostehenes had many roles and talents, one being that he was a mathematician and author of books on several topics. He wrote the first geography book, which included the first map of the world and the first documentation of the size of the Earth.

The publisher says this is for ages 4-8 however the math concept of the formula he used to determine the size of the Earth was too complex for my 6 year old to grasp. The text is long-ish compared to a typical picture book as well, so I think this can extend a little beyond 8 yrs. if it is acting as a brief biography. I am not sure how many chapter book format biographies are out there for kids 9 and up on Eratosthenes, so this may be better than nothing for older kids!

The colorful pictures are nice and really compliment the text, especially when showing how he thought about measuring the Earth and comparing it to a grapefruit. It also addresses the idea of asking questions, curiosity, and making guesses at answers about things in the world that they did not yet know about.

This is a combination of history, math, and geography with a little scientific thought thrown in. It laid out his first questions and theories and how he came up with different ideas to come up with a way to measure a part of the land. We learn about what worked and what failed, leading up to how he finally came to a method that he thought was accurate, and why he thought this formula would work. His computation was about 200 miles off of the distance we measured in this century!

Within the story we learn about what schools were like for boys in Ancient Greece, that books were in scroll format, what libraries were like (and that they were rare) and other tidbits.

There is a bibliography included that can be used for further reading resources as well. This book is also a great example of how one book can cross over several subject areas: math, history, science and geography.

Fun book to read on Eratosthenes
I read this book in order to write up a reading/math lesson related to circumference. I thought that the book was very informative, had terrific pictures, and was a fairly easy read. I think that the children (6th graders) would enjoy reading it in class, if given the chance. I would have liked if the book went over, in more detail, how he determined the equation. (The children tend to ask how he got it!) It would have been useful to know the equation he used, but it does not matter because one's lesson can be modified to use the information provided in the book. I tied in the reading to a circumference lesson and had the children find the circumference of the earth.
Overall, this is a terrific book. I thought that it was a fun read, and is a great teaser when going into a circumference lesson.

Everything you could want in a children's book
This wonderfully illustrated story of the Greek Mathematician/Astronomer/Scientist Eratosthenes is one of my children's favorites. The colorful pictures give them a glimpse into 'another world' (Ancient Greece) while the engaging text provides excellent historical and scientific information.
Highly recommended for kids and their parents too!

Great for Middle School
As a sixth-grade Social Studies teacher I needed ways to integrate other subject areas into my curriculum. I came across this book while researching for a unit on Ancient Greece. The book has pictures that are vivid and exciting and follow young Eratosthenes throughout his life until the time in which he "measured the Earth" . My students will find its words complex enough to keep them interested but simplistic enough to follow along. This can be integrated well with math lessons dealing with angles and circumference. I found the book to be extremely enjoyable.

An inspiring story of the efforts of an ancient scientist
Over two thousands years ago a man named Eratosthenes figured out the circumference of the earth using a method that involved camels and light shining straight down into a well at midday. This "crude" method was off by less than 200 miles when compared to the most accurate measurements of today. Kathryn Lasky reports that while Eratosthenes wrote numerous volumes on geography, the constellations, history and comedy, he left behind no personal records of any kind. As a result, Lasky engages in trying to "responsibly imagine based on what we already know." Working from what we know about the time and places in which he lived, Lasky creates a compelling portrait of Eratosthenes as a child constantly asking questions who turns into a man interested in understanding so many things about the universe in which he lives that he was nicknamed Pentathlos, a reference to the athletes who competed in five different events in recognition of the fact Eratosthenes knew a lot about so many different things. It was after he was appointed the head librarian at the great library in Alexandria that Eratosthenes became consumed with the idea of determining the size of the earth. Lasky recreates the process by which the librarian determined his calculation, using the example of a grapefruit as the basis metaphor. Step by step she explains how the librarian determined the distance from Alexandria to Syene, a city in southern Egypt, despite the problem presented by camels.

Now, I have not had to sit in a math class since I was a freshman in high school and I took Life Through the Microscope and Ecology rather than have to dissect frogs in Biology, so math and science are not exactly my strong suits. But if I can understand how Eratosthenes arrived at his calculation then most school children in this country should be able to follow the idea as well. The illustrations by Kevin Hawkes perfectly compliment the text (I thought they were pastels but there are acrylics done on two-play museum board). Young readers will be captivated by the way Eratosthenes solved his problem and will learn about the educational system for young Greek boys that existed at that time. It should be easy for teachers and students to extend the example of Eratosthenes to any other famous scientist being studied in class from Galileo to Einstein. Even if young readers do not want to be scientists, or even librarians, after reading this book, I would not be surprised if they practice being bematists for a while (surveyors trained to walk with equal steps). In her afterword, Lasky explains how Columbus would have had smoother sailing on his voyage of discovery if he had relied more on the calculations of Eratosthenes. "The Librarian Who Measured the Earth" is an excellent mix of history and science, served up with some reasonable biographical speculations. ... Read more

Book Description

A delightfully illustrated, informative beginner's guide to locating and identifying constellations in the northern hemisphere, with an extensive index, glossary, and time table for sky viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The 'essential' first book on the stars
H. A. Rey's classic "Find the Constellations" ranks among the clearest, most intuitive books on stargazing in print and is a must for any young person's personal library. Rey, using his wonderful talents as an illustrator and storyteller masterfully presents the stars in a simple to digest format, explaining the essentials one needs to know in order to appreciate and understand the night sky. Rey also adds the myths that gave the constellations their place in our culture and creates a book that provides countless hours of learning and enjoyment.

Every adult should give their children or their favorite niece or nephew a copy of this book and enjoy with them tender nights discovering the wonders of the heavens.

The "essential" first book on the constellations
H. A. Rey's classic "Find the Constellations" ranks among the clearest, most intuitive books on stargazing in print and is a must for any young person's personal library. Rey, using his wonderful talents as an illustrator and storyteller masterfully presents the stars in a simple to digest format, explaining the essentials one needs to know in order to appreciate and understand the night sky. Rey also adds the myths that gave the constellations their place in our culture and creates a book that provides countless hours of learning and enjoyment.

Every adult should give their children or their favorite niece or nephew a copy of this book and enjoy with them tender nights discovering the wonders of the heavens.

teach this unto thy children
I've long been a fan of Rey's (of Curious George fame) The Stars, a New Way to See them, but that is a bit more complex and geared towards adults and advanced students. This book is ideal for children and parents alike because Rey breaks down the major constellations one by one and draws them so they look like real pictures, not like those horrible drawings in the NY Times and other publications. His lion looks like a lion! The text is very basic, easy to follow and explains the basic astro stuff like stars, planets, magnitudes, but not much more. The major reason to buy this book if you already have his other book is for the handy sky charts. Unlike his more advanced book which has an entire sky map, this book as more handy "sky view" charts which are an easier way to learn the night sky. Another winner from H.A. Rey that anyone can profit from if interested in learning the stars!

It's the Greatest!
I'm a doc with over 3 years of post-doc training and I can't think of a single science text which is more enjoyable to read. Even after 16 years of astronomical observation, I still think of the constellations as Rey drew them (they are easier to remember), and I still get this text out when I want to show someone how to enjoy astronomy. If all science writers were like Mr Rey, we wouldn't be too worried about scientific illiteracy in this country. Along with its twin, The Stars, it stands alone. This treasure is "for kids from one to ninety-two."

Useful crumb-cruncher book!
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and I think the sticking power comes from two ares. First, this book is wonderfully illustrated by H. A. Rey of "Curious George" fame. Second, the book is useful--it can be used every night, with the one qualifier being that the sky must be clear.

Being a city boy (San Francisco Bay Ares), the light pollution dround out the lesser magnitude stars, so what I saw in the sky matched up with what I saw in the book.

I never went anywhere with astronomy, but it is a fun hobbie, and you can impress people with the knowledge of the stars. This book makes you look smarter than you really are, and isn't that what life is about? ... Read more

Book Description

This is a clear, vivid text with charts and maps showing the positions of the constellations the year round. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A permanent addition to my stargazing library ! Wonderful!!
About 12 years ago, I checked this book out of the library and was immediately pleased to discover how quickly and easily I was able to become familiar with a sky that used to be a confusing jumble of stars. I ended up renewing the book over and over again until I finally bought myself a copy. The author does such a wonderful job of drawing the constellations by connecting the stars in a way that makes them so easy to find. He also provides a little bit of history about each constellation which adds to the significance of what you are learning. An excellent manual for those who want stargazing to be easy and a whole lot of fun!

The One Book to Take with You to a Desert Island
This book will change the way you look at the night sky. Instead of just looking up and seeing a random scattering of stars, you will look up and see familiar old friends who rise and fall every year right on schedule. Even in city lights you will be able to pick out the brighter constellations. Leo, Virgo, Gemini, and all the other stars of the zodiac, which were only known by the horo- scopes in the daily paper, will take on new meaning as the flight path for the planets. Trips to the southern latitudes will be seen as an opprotunity to see new stars not visible from home, and trips out into the country will become opprotunities to try and spot some of the dimmer constellations. And best of all, it's very easy. H.A.Rey has taken the old confusing star charts, and reconnected the lines. Now Leo the Lion now actually looks like a lion! And Gemini the Twins, actually looks like a pair of twins! It is a wonderful book for everyone from ages eight to adult. And for those young- er, Rey has put out an equally wonderful children's version called "Find the Constellations." If you've ever had a child who has looked up at the night sky and asked you, "Daddy, what star is that?" and you didn't know, you need this book.

The best book ever on Stargazing
This is my first book I ever read on stargazing but it feels like I know the stars since ages. The format is very simple, organized and interesting. The author assumes no prior knowledge and goes on to explain the cosmos in a very very simple language.
I just love it and am going to recommend this to whoever is interested in Stargazing...the first and the best book on the subject.

A "New" Old Book
Here is a book review of an old book, written by H. A. Rey, the author of the "Curious George" books (no relation to me!). _The Stars: A New Way to See Them_ was first written in 1952. Houghton-Mifflin's 3rd edition, dated 1973, is available in bookstores and online at Amazon.com. I recently picked up a used 1966 edition.

Rey's book was written for children to help them learn to recognize the constellations. As you may know, few of the constellations seem to resemble the character or object they are supposed to represent. It takes an awfully good imagination to see Bootes as a shepherd, or Auriga as a charioteer, or Aries as a ram. Rey takes those same star patterns and rearranges the lines to produce stick figures that actually look like something. Not only that, they have the appearance of the intended object or character of mythology. Perseus looks like he's coming to Andromeda's rescue. Monoceros looks like a stick-figure unicorn, and Camelopardalis looks like a skinny giraffe.

Rey's book _The Stars_ is laid out in four parts: Part 1 is "Shapes in the Sky", where he describes old and new ways of arranging the stars. Part 2 is "Meet the Constellations", where he shows a diagram of each constellation and gives a bit of information about it. In Part 3, "The Stars Throughout the Year" he has twelve sets of calendar charts - with and without the lines drawn in -- and explains that the sky is always changing, as the earth travels in its path around the sun. Additional calendar charts include viewing areas farther north and south than most of us are familiar with. Part 4, "Some Whys and Hows" goes into some technical details on the celestial sphere, the path of the ecliptic, why we have seasons, the earth's orbit, solar and sidereal time, precession, and other topics for those with an inquiring scientific mind. It is not necessary to read or understand this section to enjoy the book, but it adds to its value as a learning tool. Rey tells about the moon and its phases, gives a good description of a cross-section of the Milky Way galaxy, and gives some facts about the planets. The planetary tables won't do me much good in the twenty-first century, though. My 1966 edition has planetary tables from 1961 through 1970. The newer edition may have updated tables, however. A 2001 reviewer of the book on Amazon.com says it has planetary tables for the next ten years.

The back pages of the book contain a good index and glossary, a whole-sky chart, an index to the constellations by their English names and by their classical Latin names, and a list of the twenty brightest stars. Hans Augusto Rey has provided enough information in this little 160-page book to satisfy any "Curious George", me included.>Now, if you prefer the classical representations of the constellations, you might not care for Rey's rearrangement of their appearance. For instance, the tail of the Great Bear becomes her nose, and Hercules's body becomes his head. But at least the figures are memorable, and if it helps kids - or adults - to learn the star patterns in the night sky, I would say it has accomplished a lot. I highly recommend this book to stargazers everywhere, young or old. Amateur astronomers can use it to help young people and astronomy novices get comfortable with wandering the skies at night.

I was stunned...
I bought this book for a (now ex)girlfriend, a Ph.D. candidate in Astronomy, as a gag gift.

Having a fairly good science background, I thought it was a children's book that would have no use to me.

My GF fell in love with the gift and it has lasted much longer than our relationship. Using this book, she explained things about astronomy to me that I had never even heard of. She went on to use it in teaching an undergraduate astronomy course.

Rey uses his talents as a children's author to make concepts clear and give an excellent basic understanding of astronomy. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in astronomy, or even someone dating an astonomer ;) ... Read more

Book Description

You live on Earth, so you already know a lot about it. But do you know about its place in out solar system? For instance, it's not the largest planet. If Jupiter were a hallow ball, 1,000 Earths would fit inside it. And did you know our planet Earth takes 365 days to go around the sun, while the planet Pluto takes 248 years?

This simple text by Franklyn M. Branely introduces the nine planets in our solar system and is complemented by Kevin O'Malley's full-color illustrations, which incorporate some of the newest space photographs available. How hot is it on Venus? Which planet takes longest to orbit the sun? Find out the answers in this updated version of this popular text. Kevin OMalleys often humorous illustrations depict a group of children and an astronomer as they learn all about our solar system. Included are some of the newest space photographs available, as well as many hands-on activities.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

fun
I liked this book for my kids as I tend to like educational stuff. There is another book on amazon that I and my kids loved, because it was not only educational but super funny. It is DR JONES AND CAROLYN by carolyn apel
Both books are great.

Excellent Introduction to the Solar System...
I purchased this book for my five year old son, who loves anything that has to do do with outerspace and the planets. This is a terrific book for a young child, the information is direct and to the point and easy to understand. I think children in the older recommended age range would be somewhat dissappointed, it is not really meant for in depth understanding.

I agree with one of the editorial reviews that lauded the thematic organization over examining each piece as an isolated item-- it allows the child to understand the relation between each part of the solar system... overall, a very good introductory book.

Out Of This Place
I got this book for the boy I nanny for. He is on this kick about anything to with outer space. He loves it, and I don't get sick of reading it to him. Good buy if you love space.

Lightspeed fun!
The Planets in Our Solar System is a fun way to teach children about the solar system. Kids will enjoy the many fun facts in the book. With great illustrations and a section in the back of the book on crafts and reference to other space related material. This book is a wonderful book on astronomy. Also check out the book "Arty the Part-Time Astronaut" which includes a CD and website with a ton of learning activities and games. These two books made a great way to introduce the solar system to any child.

Excellent!
I home school our daughter and got this book from the library. I plan to purchase this book for our home school library because of the wealth of information it contains. It makes learning about the solar system an adventure. I really like the fact that the author included a section of craft ideas to reinforce what the child read in the book. He also included web sites so that you can really see the planets. I think every teacher should have this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Learn all about Earth's closest neighbor in this unprecedented guide to the red planet. Including up-to-the-minute data from NASA's ongoing explorations, this amazing resource tells the whole story - from Mars' mystical significance in early cultures to the ambitious future plans for manned-flight explorations. ... Read more

Book Description

What type of telescope is best for beginners? Can I use my camera to take photographs through a telescope? How good are the new computerized telescope mounts? What charts, books, software and other references do I need? These questions are asked time and again by enthusiastic new amateurs as they take up recreational astronomy.

But accurate, objective and up-to-date information can be hard to find. Throughout the 1990s, the first edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide established itself as the indispensable reference to the equipment and techniques used by the modern recreational stargazer. Now, authors Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer have produced an expanded and completely updated edition that again sets the standard for accessible and reliable information on one of the world's most popular hobbies.

Dickinson and Dyer -- both full-time astronomy writers -- bring decades of experience to their task. They explain why telescopes often perform much differently from what the novice expects. They recommend the accessories that will enhance the observing experience and advise what not to buy until you become more familiar with your equipment. They name brands and sources and compare value so that you can be armed with the latest practical information when deciding on your next purchase. Sections on astrophotography, daytime and twilight observing, binocular observing and planetary and deep-sky observing round out this comprehensive guide to personal exploration of the universe. Dickinson and Dyer's elegant yet straightforward approach to a complex subject makes this book an invaluable resource for astronomers throughout North America.

With more than 500 color photographs and illustrations, The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is also one of the most beautiful -- and user-friendly -- astronomy books ever produced. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

The Backyard has gotten bigger and better
This classic introduction to amateur astronomy has gotten a much improved revised edition. Dickinson and Dyer have updated this indispensable resource for the 21st century. This book is divided into three main parts.

The first covers the hardware. The authors explain the workings of the different types of scopes and accessories and give suggestions based upon budget and the type of viewing to be pursued. They tell you what hardware is essential, what is nice to have, and what you can live without including new scopes and accessories that have come out since the previous edition. Also covered is how to set up the scopes properly, and what mistakes to avoid setting up a new scope for the first time.

The second part is a crash course on the sky, starting with what you can see with the naked eye, observing conditions based on your location, and then how to observe the various objects in the sky with the equipment from the first part.

The final part is an introduction to photographing the sky with a camera (film or digital) or a dedicated CCD imager. Coverage includes simple camera on a tripod or barndoor mount setups, piggybacking on a telescope, and thru the telescope photography. Enough to get one started.

The text is not the only part of this book to be updated. Hundreds of color photos have been sprinkled liberally throughout this guide. If you are just getting one book before plunging into amateur astronomy, make this the book. It is great for beginning and intermediate amateurs.

Maybe the best comprehensive astronomy volume available
I cannot heap sufficient praise on this gargantuan effort! Authors Dyer and Dickinson are to be highly commended for this gift to the amateur astronomic community...the sheer amount of practical information packed within this volume is enough to keep the budding ( as well as experienced ) enthusiast "woodshedding" through many a cloudy night! Telescopes of all brands and types are thoroughly examined, along with all the makes of eyepieces, digital equipment, etc...yet this isn't a mere technical treasure trove. These two guys clearly convey their passion for astronomy, along with frank, down-to-earth advice for everyone ranging from the novice to the serious amateur. If I have a single frustration, it's that this gem is far too practical a volume to be a somewhat unwieldy "coffee table" book...I want to order a second copy to chop up into manageable chapters bound individually (!) It's just that good! And did I say anything about the spectacular photographs?

AN AMAZING, EASY READING BOOK
At the beginning I was just a bit suspicious of buying "one more vulgar amateur book", but after reading it all, I can FULLY recommend to all of you this book.
Photos & edition are simply great, and reading it is a real delight. Easy language (for beginners and/or intermediate level aficionados), first hand advices, no brand-inclined suggestions or recommendations. If you know enough about astronomy (but not an expert, ok?), you can agree with them in almost all authors say. And you, southern hemisphere amateurs, are NOT out of this good reading (many books only cares for specific topics of nothern hemisphere); in fact authors point out very interesting things for us.
Please don't miss this one.

Amateur's Guide gets a celestial makeover
Terence Dickinson is perhaps the leading writer of English-language amateur astronomy books; his Nightwatch is rightly considered one of the best introductions to the night sky and how to observe it. It covers the broad range of amateur astronomy admirably, from science to equipment to observing tactics. One of the only glaring drawbacks to the book is that it is simply too short.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is an able sequel. Written with fellow Canadian amateur Alan Dyer, it goes further in depth than does Nightwatch. Because it also goes into specifics in recommending telescopes and accessories, however, it quickly grew out of date. A somewhat updated and revised edition came out in 1994, but more than eight years have passed since then, and most of the models described there have been discontinued, although a few workhorses have continued to the present day.

Now, at last, this book is available in a true second edition. The changes are at once obvious and subtle. Obvious, in that the production is stunning: the old photos, mostly black-and-white, have been replaced by beautiful full-color images of the night sky and detailed diagrams of equipment. Subtle, in that the table of contents reads almost the same; it's not so much the inherent content that has changed so much as how it's presented.

One chapter from the first edition that has disappeared is one entitled "Ten Myths About Telescopes and Observing." In the first edition, this chapter was praised by reviewers and readers alike (and excoriated by some other readers, too!); it undoubtedly surpassed Dickinson and Dyer's expectations in terms of the amount of discussion it engendered. Whether you agree with them or not, they have at least educated their readers about the dispute over these myths. It's hardly the case that anyone makes claims like "Images Appear Brighter in Fast Telescopes" (Myth #2 from the 1994 edition) without being challenged.

Perhaps because of that, and also because Dickinson and Dyer may have felt that it was more important to make sure that beginners (who might buy this book without buying Nightwatch first) were able to use their equipment effectively, the myths chapter has been replaced by an introduction to using telescopes. Like all the other chapters, this one is lavishly illustrated and finely detailed, enough so that one can follow along, step-by-step, in assembling and orienting a telescope and its mount. For example, nearly a full page is devoted to getting a telescope on a GEM, or German Equatorial Mount, to cross the meridian, a tough task for beginners to figure out on their own.

Also substantially changed in presentation is the chapter on finding your way around the night sky. The vagaries of navigation, the celestial sphere, and the nightly movements of the planets, are here illustrated by several pages of diagrams, printed from a number of different planetarium programs. This book has definitely felt the impact of computer visualization of the sky.

Elsewhere, the material has been updated more than changed. New equipment has replaced old equipment, and some of that old equipment now appears in a "classics" category--things to look for in the used telescopes bin. There is a new spin on the chapter on accessories: these have been divided into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and don't-haves. (Much to my surprise, the two-dollar eye patch that I find so handy to relieve strain on my right eye--I'm left-eyed--has been unceremoniously dumped in the don't-have category.)

Should you buy this book? If you don't have it yet, and you'd like a comprehensive, easy-to-understand reference, this is the one. There really is nothing else like it on the market today. If you have one of the older editions, the decision is harder. Certainly, there's enough overlap that you can probably find out newer information from various sources without spending the same amount of money. But it's hard to get it all in one place, and the new edition certainly is a visual treat.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is an excellent book for both new and experienced amateur astronomers. The authors review equipment, visual observing techiques and both film and digital astrophotography. The book is beautifully illustrated and the explanations are very clear. Finally, the book is up to date with regard to equipment descriptions. Since the book covers such a wide range of topics, it is more introductory in nature and the amateur astronomer will still have to purchase specialty books (e.g., The New CCD Astronomy) to get the detailed information one needs for advanced topics. ... Read more

Book Description

The Magic School Bus travels out of this world to check out the facts about stars. Keesha and the rest of the class discover what stars are made of, the difference between a young star and an old star, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

very disappointing
My 4-year-old son and I really love the "original" Magic School Bus books by Cole & Degan. They are all great books which introduce science concepts in a way kids can grasp. The Scholastic knock-offs from the TV show seem to be very variable in quality - some are good and some fail. As a series they all lack the depth of information which is the hallmark of the Cole & Degan books.

This is one of the worst from the Scholastic series. I realize that they are just making books directly from the TV series scripts, but the writing in this one is poor. It doesn't flow well and had a "fingernails on a blackboard" quality for me.

The best of both worlds
My three-year old son is a Magic School Bus and astronomy fanatic. It's a great book to introduce kids to the life cycles of stars and how stars are formed! ... Read more

Book Description

This close-up look at the center of our solar system is "simple, clear, and direct."--Horn Book. "Handsome and informative, a must for the science shelf....Impressive, large color photographs."--Booklist. ... Read more

Book Description

How did the universe begin? How hot is the sun? How long does it take to get to the moon? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Space, Jack and Annie’s very own guide to the secrets of the universe. Including information on stars, planets, space travel, life on other planets, and much more! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Space Travel
Once you are 100 miles above Earth, you are in space. Anything beyond Earth's atmosphere is space. There are a lot of planets, stars, and space rocks in space.
A spacecraft travels in space and carries supplies and people. A spacecraft has to go 25,000 miles per hour to get away from gravity and get into space. Spacecrafts have rockets to lift them into space.
Fuel is burning in the rocket at very hot temperatures. The hot gasses come out from the bottom and push the rocket up. Rockets were used 1,000 years ago as fireworks and weapons by the Chinese.
The Soviet Union and the Unites States had a race to have a spacecraft go into space. The Soviet Union sent the first satellite into space. A satellite is something that travels around a planet. The Soviet Union won that race. The United States put its own satellite into space and the race began.
An astronaut is a person from America that is trained to go into space. A cosmonaut is a person from Russia trained to go into space. A person from Russia, or a cosmonaut, orbited the Earth in less than two hours. He was the first person to orbit the Earth.
The United States and the Soviet Union had a race to get someone into space first. John F. Kennedy made a challenge to send someone to the moon before the 1960's were over. A lot of people worked for that goal. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is an inspiring introduction to the planets, the stars, the solar system, the whole wide, wonderful Universe. Hundreds of exciting, instructive experiments that show how the Universe actually works using everyday materials. For ages 8-14. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Not Another Science Fair!"
Heather Couper has scored a coup in writing this fun and exciting book to help you and your child be successful in school science. We used this book as a guide to a curriculum we wrote for a private school here in Washington. The students used to cheer when I came in the room with the lesson of the week which always came with an experiment from this book. Science was exciting and I never had any discipline problems. When you can properly engage a student and take away the fear of failure, you have won. This approach helped all the students but was especially impactful for the students with learning disabilities who struggled with the written word only approach. Get excited about science with your children! This book removes all fears.

GREAT BOOK
This book teaches much information about the universe, from quasars to black holes. It has many, many experiments kids can use to learn about different planets and topics. Great book! ... Read more

Book Description

Our Solar System was born almost 5 billion years ago at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. In over fifty dramatic, full-color photographs and an easy-to-read text, award-winning author Seymour Simon takes you on a fascinating tour of the nine planets, dozens of moons, and thousands of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets that travel around our sun.

First, Simon explores the star at the center of our Solar System -- from the constant nuclear explosions at its core to the giant storms on its surface as geysers of flaming gas over a hundred thousand miles long rise and fall in just a few hours.

You will also learn about the four rocky inner planets, from airless Mercury to fiery Venus, her sister planet, Earth, and mysterious Mars. Then join the thrilling Voyager missions to explore the four gaseous outer planets: gigantic Jupiter, ringed Saturn, tilted Uranus -- the planet "lying on its side" -- and windy Neptune. You will finish your journey at distant Pluto, then visit the asteroid belt and examine comets, the "dirty snowballs" in space.

A companion volume to Simon's landmark series of individual books about each of the planets, the sun, stars, and other space sights, Our Solar System will introduce you to some of the most amazing mysteries in the universe.

Reviews (4)

Excellent overview for children
I bought this book for my seven year old son, in the hope that he would work his way into it over time (recommended age is from 9). He is able to read quite a lot of the text at this stage, with a bit of help. This is great for his reading practice.

Most importantly it is a book he wants to read. The photographs are excellent, and there is more than enough information for him at this stage in development. It is a perfect "Show and Tell" item to bring into the class, with the added bonus that it has a hard binding.

His five year old sister is also very taken with the drawings of the solar system and the planets and moons. It is a book guaranteed to attract the interest of any child.

Our Solar System
I have never written a review for a book, but this book has inspired me to do so.

The photographs in the book are large and stunning. They are spectacular. Children are drawn to the book because it is so beautiful.

We bought this book for our 2 1/2 year old for Christmas, along with a set of plastic planets. Within weeks, she could name every planet. Further, she could tell us which planets are bigger than earth, which planets are smaller than earth, which planets have rings (and how many rings each of those planets has), how many moons each planet has (and which planets have no moons), why Mercury's surface has so many craters, which planets are hot, which planets are cold, etc., etc.

In short, this book is beautiful and informative. It is very well done! It is a fantastic introduction to our solar system. We are looking forward to reading more books by Seymour Simon!!!!!!!

Out of this world!
Simon explores space using fantastic photos from real spacecraft and satellites. My two-year-old son received this book for Christmas and we read it to him nearly every night before bed. He is fascinated with the photographs, and as a result of his attachment to this book he can name every planet and many of the satellites that surround them. It is amazing! He loves space now because of this book. Kudos, Simon!

Beautiful book loaded with information.
We used this beautiful book as the basis for a two-week unit study on the Solar System. Wonderful photos and easy-to-read text make this an excellent choice for your 3rd - 6th grade student. ... Read more

Book Description

Human beings have always looked at the heavens and asked: Are we alone? Is there life elsewhere in the universe? What is that life like? Unfortunately, people can"t actually travel to other solar systems. Even the closest stars are too far away to visit.
Today, astrophysicists such as Jill Tarter are looking for other ways to search for extraterrestrial life. Jill is the director of Project Phoenix at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California.SETI stands for "Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence." Twice a year, Jill and her team travel to the mountains of Puerto Rico where they use the world"s largest radio telescope to examine nearby stars. They search the sky, listening for radio signals that, if found and verified, would provide strong evidence that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.

Author Ellen Jackson and photographer Nic Bishop introduce us to a dedicated scientist and her thrilling, rigorous, and awe-inspiring work in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

I Walked on the Moon.

This is my journey.

It didn’t begin when I stepped on board Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969. It began the day I was born -- Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., whom everyone called Buzz. Becoming an astronaut took more than education, discipline, and physical strength. It took years of determination and believing that any goal is possible -- from riding a bike alone across the George Washington Bridge at age ten to making a footprint on the Moon.

I always knew the Moon was within my reach -- and that I was ready to be part of the team that would achieve the first landing. But it was still hard to believe when I took my first step onto the Moon’s surface. We all have our own dreams -- this is the story of how mine came true.

Book Description

An epic adventure from a master storyteller.

Panic fills the streets of London on a night in 1756 when the earth suddenly lurches forward and starts spinning out of control. Within moments, eleven days and nights flash through the sky, finally leaving the city in total darkness. Is the end of the world at hand?

Agetta Lamian fears so. She's the young housemaid of Dr. Sabian Blake, a scientist who has recently acquired the Nemorensis, the legendary book said to unlock the secrets of the universe. And what he sees through his telescope confirms what he has read: This disaster is only a sign of things to come. Agetta overhears Dr. Blake's prophecy that a star called Wormwood is headed toward London, where it will fall from the sky and strike a fatal blow.

Dr. Blake believes the comet will either end the world as he knows it or hearken a new age of scientific and spiritual enlightenment. Soon even Agetta seems to have been seduced by the book, and whom she ultimately delivers it to will determine much more than just her fate. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (16)

Its not just another picture book
In this amusing and insightful book, Peter Sis has attracted more then one audience. Starry Messenger (a Caldecott Honor book) tells the story of Galileo Galilei and some of his accomplishments. The actual story is interesting, but the illustrations are amazing! His pictures are detailed and
intricate, including every possible detail the mind can imagine. On the page introducing Galileo, perhaps fifty babies wrapped in blankets are pictured. On each blanket is their future occupation. You see a baker, a priest, a farmer, a knight, and a barrelmaker among many others. But Galileo is one that stands out. His blanket is dark blue and covered with
white stars, foreshadowing his remarkable life.

The Starry Messenger is a picture book, but don't let that label fool you. Most adults will find the facts about Galileo written in the margins interesting, and as I have, the pictures astounding. Words cannot do this book justice, its marvelous work of art!

A children's book about Galileo clearly for older readers
Yes, "Starry Messenger" is one of those children's books that is going to be over the heads of most children, which is ironic given that it is about a man who wanted to understand the meaning of the stars. Certainly the life of Galileo Galilei is worthy of being taught to children, but Peter Sis has geared this one a bit too high, as I think these reviews clearly indicate. After all, few young readers will appreciate that the inclusion of quotations from Galileo's "Discoveries and Opinions of Gailelo," although they will be more inclined to spin the book around to read cursive lines of tiny print written in a spiral by Sis. Fortunately, most children have much better eyes than I do now a days.

The chief charm of "Starry Messenger" for me is the artwork, which certain suggests both the Old World and Olden Days. Several of the illustrations remind me of Medieval and Renaissance artwork I have seen in the past. Again, I am not sure younger readers can really appreciate some of the details Sis puts into some of this illustrations, especially the three dealing with the his trial before the Pope's court. This is a shame because these are pretty powerful illustrations. Ideally, somewhere down the road kids who learn about Galileo and the example of his trial ("But it does move") will return to this book and better be able to appreciate it.

Nice Artwork, Misleading History
This children's book about Galileo has very beautiful illustrations, but the history leaves much to be desired. It's a perfect example though of how myths about the past take on a life of their own independent of historical evidence or historical context. Sis offers another variation on the "warfare" of science versus religion with Galileo representing the modern rational scientist (which he was not) and his opponents in the Church representing ignorant, dogmatic tradition. Of course the reality was much more complex, especially considering that Galileo did not have proof that the earth moved. This book shows why children are so often misinformed from an early age for the sake of telling a good story.

Definately for older children
This book is beautifully illustrated and written but was given to my daughter when she was 4 years old by an ambitious uncle and although she is quite interested in science, at age 5 it is still way over her head. I would have to agree with some of the other reviewers, I would recommend it for much older children interested in the subject.

May be more for adults than children?
Although the illustrations are delightful and fun to explore I was disappointed with the book. I bought it to give to my 7 year old grand daughter and I have not givent it to her yet. I feel this is a book written for someone who already knows a lot about Gallileo. Those who already know a lot will enjoy the illustrations, those who need to learn will miss the message. ... Read more

Book Description

Rockets have power. They rise and roar. This rocket's waiting, ready to soar.Rockets carry astronauts with cool, white suits oxygen helmets and gravity boots. Blast off with more out-of-this-world couplets! This time it is machines that fly.In bright and bold illustrations that are as witty as the text, the animal crew roars and whizzes into outer space. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Big, Fun Illustrations
Just got this fron Scholastic Books for our three-year old. The colorful illustrations are fun and prompt him to ask lots of questions about space travel. "Why is that thing flying off the end of the rocket?" "Why is that guy floating?" "Why are they in the water?" Yesterday we created a space suit for him, today we made a rocket. Who knows...tomorrow, the moon?

Warning for parents: the text rhymes and is pretty hokey: "Rockets take astronauts out to a place/that's strange and wonderful: silent space..."

Roaring Rockets is a hit with our three year old
He has the words memorized and loves the pictures and detailed explanation of the rocket parts in the back. He loves anything to do with rockets and astronauts.

Roaring Rockets
I purchased Roaring Rockets for my 5 year old son. He loves anything that has to do with rockets, space, or cute animals. This seems to fit the bill for all of the above. The book is very nicely printed with simple characters and drawings. The story is actually pretty accurate and is an easy 5 minute book before bedtime. My son has really enjoyed this one. We've read it several times now. ... Read more