Book Description

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful TheScience Book for Girls and The Math Book for Girls, the newest book inthis series looks at technology that girls encounter every day, such asCD players, microwave ovens and touchscreens. Filled with fun, easy-to- do activities, it encourages girls to experiment and explore. They arealso introduced to eight women who work in exciting technologicalcareers, including an astronomer, a radio frequency inspector and aplant physiologist.

Safe, easy experiments allow kids to investigate infrared coming from atelevision remote, a store bar code scanner, satellites in the sky, howlight reflects through an optical fiber and much more. ... Read more

Book Description

Children take a wondrous tour of our solar system in this stunning new book that weaves mythology and astronomy in magical ways. Jacqueline Mitton’s poetic text explores each planet, comparing its features to those of the Roman god or goddess for whom it was named.

Although this naming occurred long before humans had accurate information about the planets, the book points out some remarkable coincidences based on what we know today. The veiled goddess Venus, for example, lends her name to a cloud-veiled planet. And the blue, stormy planet Neptune is named for the god of the sea.

Christina Balit’s glorious illustrations, sparkling with gold-foil accents, bring the mythology to life and draw children into the wonders of our planetary kingdom. This intriguing and highly informative book—a sequel to the same team’s best-selling Zoo in the Sky—presents the most up-to-date, scientific details about the planets in an artful way that will stir the minds and imaginations of young readers.

Reviews (2)

A gorgeously illustrated look at the planets of the gods
One of the things companies making collectible trading cards have done is to add "foil" to cards to make them rarer and therefore more expensive. I have never been particularly fond of either the marketing technique or the aesthetics of this particular practice, but I may have to change my mind after reading "Kingdom of the Sun: A Book of the Planets." This National Geographic Book introduces young readers to the planets of our solar system by not only telling them about the features of the planets but also comparing them to the god/desses of classical mythology for whom they were named, who tell their stories in the first person. The text of "Kingdom of the Sun" is written by Dr. Jacquelin Mitton; in 1990 Asteroid 4027 was named Mitton by the International Astronomical Union in honor of Dr. Mitton and her husband, Simon, who is also an astronomer. However, what immediately catches your eye is the gorgeous artwork by Christina Balit. For each of the planets, along with the sun and moon, Balit has created a painting showing the appropriate god/dess in all of their glory over the heavenly object. The brilliantly colored paintings are embossed with gold foil and if you look carefully you can find the astrological sign for each planet in both the border panel and somewhere on the god/dess. I especially like the contrast between the more naturalistic depictions of the planets with the finely stylized representations of the god/desses. The back of the book includes statistical information about our solar system along with a glossary of terms from astronomer to volcano. Mitton and Balit had worked together previously on "Zoo in the Sky," a similar book about the animal constellations, and I cannot imagine that it is any less exquisite than "Kingdom of the Sun." This is such a beautiful book that you have to remind yourself that it is educational as well. This book can be used as a transition from mythology to astronomy or the other way around.

A truly beautiful gift book
Kingdom Of The Sun: A Book Of The Planets a truly exciting picturebook that takes young readers on a cosmic tour through the solar system. Published by the National Geographic Society, Kingdom of the sun is filled with scientific facts about each planet as well as mythological lore about the gods after whom the planets are named. The color illustrations of the ancient gods and their planets against the backdrop of space are particularly striking, and the eye-catching use of shiny gold foil makes Kingdom Of The Sun a picturebook that compels admiration. The last two pages feature a short glossary and a table of facts about the sun, moon, and planets. Wonderfully written by Jacqueline Mitton and superbly illustrated by Christina Balit, Kingdom of the Sun is a truly beautiful gift book, superb for sparking an interest in science and astronomy in young people, and very highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Images and stories about space exploration surround kids, fueling their curiosity about what lies beyond Earth¹s atmosphere. In this easy-to-understand book, kids will learn how a rocket works, how a satellite stays in orbit, how a space station is built, what it¹s like to be an astronaut, and much, much more. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A nice overview in a Q&A format
Although slotted for the age range 9-12, I read it aloud to my 6 year old and he understood and enjoyed the book. The format is question and answer, which you may or may not like. We found it fine, as many address common questions. The answers are detailed with many statistics and what some would call "trivia". The tone of the writing is not patronizing and it seems to cover just enough information for an overview.

The subjects covered are: stars, our sun, explanation of "sun rising and setting", galaxies, the Milky Way, constellations, planets, orbits of plants, earths rotation, earths composition, Earth's atmosphere vs. space, our moon, asteroids, comets, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites, is there life elsewhere and what are some unanswered questions we still have? This is a good overview. Note that each planet is discussed in one paragraph. I feel that for a more thorough study we will need to delve into each planet a bit more, but this book was enough information on all the other topics it covers. The picture books on each planet by Seymour Simon are wonderful for getting more information on each planet and for their great illustrations.

The illustrations in this book are drawings, which are nice but not as great as some of the wonderful photographs that are available. I am granting this 4 stars due to the illustrations being all drawings, and because of the lack of detail on each planet. I suggest supplementing this book with at least browsing through some other books such as coffee table books or other adult books about space so that the child can get a different perspective and to appreciate the beauty that is captured in our modern high tech photography. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

What a treasure
I've been trying to interest my daughter in sciences, and Stars is a big hit in my house. My daughter can't put it down. What a clever idea to bring down to earth (so to speak) a really complicated subject.

Not what I expected
The book might be ok for a very young reader. However, from the summary and from the other review, I thought the book would be helpful to a young person with a telescope (to help them find what's out there). I just received the book today and am returning it because it will certainly not be useful in this way.

FANTASTIC BOOK!!!!!!
This is a fantastic introduction to astronomy for kids! Dussling does a great job in making a very complicated subject easy to understand. And I learned a lot as well. The illustrations are also very well done. A super introduction to non-fiction and science. A true must buy! ... Read more

Book Description

Heads up! They're foam and they're fun!These futuristic phenomenal foam flyers are certain to grab attention.Each of the four flyers demonstrates a cool flight principle: life, drag, gravity, and momentum. These principles, along with interesting historical facts, tips on technique, and game suggestions are revealed under the flap on each spread.Flyers fit neatly back into book and can be taken everywhere.To the beach, to the park, to your own backyard!Kids of all ages will find the book as whole to be unique in concept and style. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

award-winning
This book just won the Parents' Choice Silver Medal Award.

phenomenal fun!
A GREAT summer vacation book - the four flyers pack back into the book easily, and you can take them to the beach or the park or anywhere - they're even soft enough to play with around the house! My two kids LOVE to play with this, and even though the information in the book about aerodynamics and things to is too advanced for my youngest son, the older one finds it really interesting. All the different aspects of the book make it great for different age groups. ... Read more

Book Description

Explore our solar system, from Mercury-where temperatures range from 300 degrees below zero to 800 degrees-to Pluto, the coldest and smallest planet. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great additional resource of basic facts
My 3rd grade son reads below grade level and is a very visual learner. This book is full of great, real, photos and straight-forward facts. He loved reading it and looking at the photos. It really helped reinforce what he was being taught in school about the solar system!

Just The Facts, Mamm.
PLANETS AROUND THE SUN works rather well as an introductory book to the planets of the solar system in the Milky Way. The book briefly discusses the nine planets of the Milky Way, the Earth's Moon, and the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The last page in the book displays a chart that illustrates, among other things, the distance of each planet from the sun; each planet's orbital period; amount of moons; and the amount of rings. There are several basic space facts scattered throughout the thirty pages, e.g. the winds on Neptune blow at over 700 mph. The thing that separates this book from others of it's kind that I have read are it's bright and vivid pictures. The pictures are full of color and contrast and bring to life the uniqueness of our solar system. Overall this is a wonderful book to introduce children to the wonder and miracle of space.

An astronomy book that covers the basic facts
"Planets Around the Sun," by Seymour Simon, combines many astronomical photographs with an easy-to-read text. The book is a basic overview of the planets of the solar system. A sample of the writing style: "We live on a planet called Earth. [new page] Earth is one of the nine planets that travel around the sun."

The book includes a comparative chart that lists each planet along with basic facts: distance from the sun, orbital period, number of moons (if any), etc. The book sticks to only the most basic facts; for example, the moons of Mars and other planets are not mentioned by name. ... Read more

Book Description

This activity book tells the amazing true story of how two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, with no more than high-school educations, accomplished a feat that forever changed the world. At a time when most people still hadn't ridden in an automobile, Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. Woven throughout the heartwarming story of the two brothers are activities that highlight their ingenuity and problem-solving abilities as they overcame many obstacles to achieve controlled flight. The four forces of flight-lift, thrust, gravity, and drag-and how the Wright brothers mastered them are explained in clear, simple text. Activities include making a Chinese flying top, building a kite, bird watching, and designing a paper glider, and culminate with an activity in which readers build a rubber-band-powered flyer. Included are photographs just released from the Wright brothers' personal collection, along with diagrams and illustrations. The history of human flight and its pioneers, a time line, and a complete resource section for students are also provided. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lovely and lyrical
WOW! DeCristofano writes science in such a fresh and lyrical voice - not only did I understand the theory of the Big Bang, but I ENJOYED reading about it. At last, a science book that kids can understand and love reading again and again. Her writing is like poetry. ... Read more

Book Description

For over a century the idea of a black hole was merely a theory, one that was fiercely debated. Then, while using the Hubble Space Telescope to observe a distant galaxy, scientists were able to take the first pictures of a black hole. A mystery that existed for over a hundred years was solved!

Launched in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope is still sending us images of the cosmos never before seen by the human eye. There are more pictures and new discoveries every day. Orbiting above the atmosphere, the Hubble Space Telescope can see into space ten times more clearly than the most powerful telescope on Earth.

In Destination: Space, stunning visuals illustrate major discoveries as Seymour Simon explains what each carefully chosen image has shown us about the universe. Capturing fascinating and complex scientific discoveries in dramatic photographs and an easy-to-understand text, Seymour Simon once again shows why he is widely regarded as one of America's most exciting and informative authors.

Reviews (1)

Informative reading for children of all ages
Destination: Space is a visually stunning and mentally engrossing picturebook of space images from the Hubble telescope. Author Seymour Simon's simple text, appealing to easy readers yet descriptive of the mysteries of the universe, teaches young people more about the images, and what science has learned about the wonders of our galaxy. Destination: Space is a gorgeous book, highly recommended for school and library astronomy collections, and truly fascinating, informative reading for children of all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

The miraculous wonders of our planet, from the tallest mountains tomagnificent underground caves, are featured.Fascinating topics include biomes, erosion,the Jurassic period, volcanoes, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Boy of 2 years loves this book
My 2 year old son loves this book! He actually learned the parts of the shuttle, the astronauts and how they move the shuttle in 2 readings with this neat little book. I can't wait to find more of them. ... Read more