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

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

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

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

Based on the TV series Blue's Clues® created by Traci Paige Johnson, Todd Kessler, and Angela C. Santomero as seen on Nick Jr.® On Blue's Clues, Steve is played by Steven Burns.

Look for additional Blue's Clues books -- board books, sticker books, and more!

Note To Parents from Creators
Blue and Steve skidoo to the planets and need help identifying them! This book, like all Blue's Clues books, uses our cognitive-based thinking skills and science curricula. It introduces children to the planets and their places in the solar system. The Blue's Clues mission is to empower, challenge, and build the self-esteem of preschoolers. We hope this book helps you and your child realize these goals! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Anyone remember Colorforms (tm)
I avoided this book for some time. I wasn't interested in anything with "stickers" for my young son. (I could just see them being attached to the wood furniture.) At some point we ended up with the book. I was shocked that the "stickers" were actually "colorforms", something that I had been looking for. The "stickers" are made of a thin plastic with the pictures printed on them. The "pages" of the book are made of a stiff board material.

Ironically I was looking for colorforms for my son. When I inquired at the local toy stores they all told me that Colorforms were no longer in production.

good intro. to the planets
This is a simple, not too many details book about the planets. It is a good place to get kids wondering what is up there with a catchy little song from the Steve era of the show.

Blue and Steve's introduction to the solar system
One of the best episode's of the Blue's Clues television series is the one that introduces the solar system. "Well, the sun's a hot star .... Mercury's hot too. Venus is the brightest planet .... etc."

There is not much text here. Basically the song is repeated twice, with text bubbles advising you where to place the many colorful and durable stickers depicting the planets, a shooting star, a rocket and various other solar system-y things.

Get it!
My three year old knows all the planets thanks to Blue and Steve. This is the second time I have purchased this same book. My son placed the reusable stickers in the black dishwasher. It looked just like outer space and he would sing the song over and over. It just so happened that Mommy actually needed to wash the dishes, and the heat from the dry cycle melted the stickers! So I had to get a new book for him. So please, don't place the stickers where they can melt, or your child my have a melt down of his own!

Blue conquers the world!
My son is a HUGE fan of Blue's Clues and he's also fascinated by the solar system. We were both really excited when we found Blue Skidoos to the Planets because he loved the episode of the show. He couldn't wait to get home and put the stickers in the book. He is able to read the entire book by himself and he can sing the song, too. He's only six, but he can name all of the planets thanks to this book. Thank you Steve and Blue for being such wonderful friends to preschoolers! ... Read more

Book Description

Tibaldo Bondi, son of the assistant to the great Florentine physician Turisanus, is supposed to celebrate his 12th birthday on October 10, 1582. But 1582 is no ordinary year. Inaccuracies in the calendar established under Julius Caesar have been piling up for over a millennium, the equinoxes are coming earlier and earlier in the year, and Easter is inexorably drifting out of traditional season. When Pope Gregory XII decrees a long-needed calendar reform, part of the correction involves dropping ten days from the year. Social upheaval ensues. Workers will lose ten days' wages, rent payments are due only twenty days apart, and Tibaldo's birthday is lost.

Determined to recover his birthday, quick-witted Tibaldo manages an audience with Pope Gregory and speaks his mind. This story cleverly weaves an enjoyable account of the cultural and scientific milieu of 16th century Italy. Through Tibaldo's eyes, we learn of contemporary medical skills as practiced by his sister, a midwife, and his father; from Tibaldo's schoolteachers we learn about Renaissance astronomy and other sciences: and of course we learn the basis of the Gregorian reform that led to the calendar we use, with just minor changes, to this day.

Beautifully illustrated with drawings that reflect the style of the era, Tibaldo and the Hole in the Calendar offers a fascinating look at the Renaissance period and a delightful tale that will entertain readers of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Author's statement about Tibaldo
Tibaldo and the Hole in the Calendar is a fictional story with a historically and scientifically correct setting. In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII proclaimed a reform of the calendar, including the omission of ten days--Oct. 5 through Oct. 14 of 1582-- to correct the inaccuracy of the Julian calendar. Tibaldo Bondi's twelfth birthday, on Oct. 10, 1582, would be omitted, to his distress. He imaginatively and courageously fought to recover his birthday, by asking help from his teachers and the governor of Bologna, and eventually from the Pope himself. The Pope was so amused (laughing for the first time in eight years!) by Tibaldo's daring and clever arguments that he issued a special decree restoring the celebration that would have been lost in 1582. This fictional decree is printed here in authentic papal Latin, but a translation is given. Tibaldo goes on to become a famous physician, pioneering in the use of the microscope and in preventive measures against the spread of infections. He also pioneers in the education of women, marrying a woman astronomer and ensuring that one of his daughters becomes a midwife, one a physician, and one an astronomer. As the background for the story much information is given about astronomy, medicine, midwifery, the history of the calendar, and the religious and political history of Italy. The book is printed in a Renaissance format and the beautiful etchings by Jonathan Shimony are in the style of Renaissance book illustration. The story and the factual background are accessible to children of age ten years or more but are also fascinating reading for adults. It is a particularly instructive and amusing book for a parent to read with a child. Tibaldo has been translated into French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, and Greek, and is due to be translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Hebrew. Tentative plans are underway to make a movie of it, to be set in Bologna, Italy.

A wonderful book for both children and adults
This book is really quite charming. It beautifully blends science, philosophy, history, and fiction into a format that is accessible to children and entertaining for adults. Highly recommended ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Synopsis For My Classroom Library
I had to review at least two books for reluctant readers for a Graduate class that I am taking and I would like to share my synopsis of this particular book. (I had to come up with a classroom library of at least 50 books from a variety of genres and award winners.)

This book is #4 in the series of The Magic School Bus; A Science Chapter Book. It includes black and white illustrations, some informational excerpts, and some written work by the kids in Ms. Frizzle's class. There is a lot to be learned in this story about their adventure through space. It can be enhanced by viewing the video The Magic School Bus Gets Lost in Space and/or by reading The Magic School Bus Hello Out There: A Sticker Book About the Solar System or The Magic School Bus Fact Finder: Space and the Planets. Children can even get on-line at and view the web site, www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus for a "space tour".
The book would be a good book for reluctant readers because it is easy to read with large print and easy vocabulary. It is also a fun story about an interesting topic. (The book itself lists a reading level of 3; ages 6-9.)

Make Space In Your Bookshelf For This Book!
When Carlos brings a mechanical dog, Rocko to school, Mrs. Frizzle has a field trip planned. This time, to space. But when they get to Mars for Carlos to get some Mars rocks out of no where comes a huge dust storm! Can Rocko and Carlos survive it? Learn about space and find out the answer to my question in Space Explorers! ... Read more

Book Description

Freddy and friends decide to take a trip to Mars in Benjamin Bean's fabulous space ship. But the intrepid explorers are knocked off course and find themselves on a strangely familiar planet, where danger (and Martians) lurk around every corner! Freddy and his friends from the Bean farm make the trip to explore the final frontier-with hilarious results! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good Lord, this brings back memories.
As a preteen I read every "Freddy the Pig" book except "The Clockwork Twins" and that only because my library couldn't find a copy of it. Reading these in order was one of the highlights of my trips to the local library. I'm delighted to see them being re-released in mass market editions. They are absolutely timeless and priceless additions to any child's collection.

Freddy Takes Off
While not the best of the stories about Freddy the Pig, this novel is one of the better ones, coming at the end of the middle cycle. The first few books, while entertaining, were before Brooks really reached his stride as a writer, and shortly after this book he was coming down from his peak. Besides exploring outer space with several friends, Freddy must also help save the Bean family from inlaws who make a plague of locusts look like fun. Even Brooks'least Freddy book is head and shoulders above most other children's books, and most can be enjoyed by adults as well.

5 stars for Brooks
These books are the hidden gems of children's literature in the United States. They are all so warm, smart and fabulously funny. Freddy and the Space Ship is no exception. It sounds like a cliche, but these novels truly embody the spirit of timelessness. They are all a delight. Freddy and the Space Ship continues the formula, providing witty insights and familiar old characters to a new and exciting, albeit naive, story. Wonderful books. Every child, or child at heart should own one. ... Read more

Book Description

During the seventh century, the land which is now Korea was fraught with political and religious intrigue.The country was spilt into Three Kingdoms, each fighting for supremacy. Besides this, three religions are in conflict: Shamanism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.In this atmosphere of conflict, we meet 14-year old Sondok, eldest daughter of King Chinp-yong, ruler of Silla. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Very Good Book
"Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars" is about a fourteen-year old princess growing up in Silla, which is now present-day South Korea. She loves astronomy, though girls and women at that time were not expected to study the stars and the sky, and she is willing to prove herself to her father, the ruler of Silla, that she could be just like a son to him since he never had any sons and because women did not rule back then. Instead of writing in a diary, Sondok writes a series of notes to her grandmother describing her private feelings and what is going on in her life. She also writes about her dissapointments about not being able to study astronomy. This was a great Royal Diary, and I think many people wil enjoy it!

A book of astronomic quality!
In ancient Asia, females, as a general rule, were not allowed to rule. They could only be the wives of kings and emperors. However, in Silla in 595, it's a girl who is heir apparent to the throne of Silla (now called South Korea). Fourteen-year-old Sondok has no brothers and her mother is too old to have any more children. Her father's brothers are all dead and they didn't have any sons either. Thus, it is she who must inherit the throne.

Sondok thinks she's up to the job. She comes across as forthright and intelligent as she writes in her diary. She's especially fascinated by astronomy, and displays her skill at it by correctly predicting an eclipse. Unfortunately this earns her the wrath of the Chinese ambassador, also an astronomer, who predicted the wrong date. "Astronomy is not for women," Lin Fang says. "Go do something female like look after silkworms." Sondok tries to win him over, but he is unmoved. Worse yet, her father agrees with the ambassador and forbids his daughter to study the moon and stars!

This is the principal conflict in this narrative. There are some others: Sondok's father casts aside his old wife and takes a new, younger one whom he hopes will bear him a son. Sondok is in love with someone whom she cannot marry, as he is below her station, and when he goes off to be a Buddhist monk she wonders if she'll ever see him again. She wonders a lot about religions: Korean Buddhism vs. Chinese Confucianism.

Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars is one of my favorite books in the royal diaries, entertaining and quite historically accurate. I'd recommend it to young girls nine and up, especially those interested in Korean culture and astronomy.

I have definitely read better
Sondok is a Korean princess who is heir to the throne, much to the dismay of the Chinese, who believe that a woman cannot properly rule.
Another thing that is special about Sondok is that she loves astronomy, and she want's an observatory of her own so she can learn to read the stars and their meaning.
But in Korea at that time it was not considered proper for a woman to study astronomy, but Sondok refused to give up hope that someday she will be an astronomer and rule Korea with wisdom.

This book is good, except I have read better. It certainly isn't boring, though. I thought the part about the New Year's festivals was very well done.

What a wonder!
This book was a pleasant surprise for me, a Korean female looking for books in English for little cousins. Queen Sondok has been the most famous & beloved queen to Korean children, especially to girls, like the amalgam of Joan of Arc and Queen Elisabeth the first.

She was the first princess who came to the throne in whole Korean history, and her succession was possible due to the special succession law of ancient Shilla dynasty which put a higher value on the pure royal birth than the genders of heirs. There was no male heir whose both parents were royal then, so Sondok was raised as the heir apparent with formidable duty to answer to love and hope of her own parents and her people in the time of endless wars and diplomatic intrigues. And she did more.

Until this book, I always imagined her as a grown-up, like Athena with full armors springing from Zeus's head, partly because of all stories in historical texts such as the famous her 3 prophecies and the anecdote of Mun-Hee(a lady saved by Sondok from burning at stake) showing her silent bravery, deep understanding of human nature, and somewhat supernatural, shman-like foresight, all three of them which were necessary for ancient rulers.

Holman portrayed her as a little princess rather than a queen who ruled successfully her kingdom for 15 years in a very turbulent time with love of arts and intelligence and deep Buddhistic faith. And it was an interesting move. Even young readers without any knowledge of Korea may enjoy it. Thank you Holman for saving the difficulties of finding an easy and good book.

Very good, although I've read better
This book is really great. Read it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Postcards from Pluto
Dear Lareen, I like your books. I read Postcards from Pluto. You are very creative and smart. I have read a couple of your books,and my favorite is Postcards from Pluto. It is a very good book to me. I'm glad you wrote some books because I really enjoy them. ....

Postcards From Pluto: Fun way to learn solar system facts
From the beginning of this comic strip like tale of an outer space journey children are mesmerized by the non-fiction facts in such unique format. The illustrations are wonderful and accurately depict the details in the text. The actual postcards entertain while teaching and contain humorous addressees and addresses. Postcards From Pluto is a great way to introduce the solar system to kids. This book is a great investment, because it will be looked at and read time and time again! ... Read more

Book Description

In this first of a trilogy, the Universe tells its own life story of chaos and creativity, science and struggle. Time after time the Universe nearly perishes, then bravely triumphs and turns itself into new and even more spectacular forms. Eventually it turns stardust into you. This story begins in the very beginning, and ends with the formation of Earth. The second book From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth Story tells of tiny new living things and ends with giant dinosaurs. In the third book, mammals rise and so do you (available spring 2005). ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Important Book to Read and Share
Jennifer Morgan's Born with a Bang is an great read for all ages. Imaginatively and beautifully illustrated, it opens eyes and minds to the new learnings of recent decades.

Supported by helpful scientific discoveries detailed at the end, I found this book very helpful to share with my children and grandchildren. Ms. Morgan's enthusiastic insights into the wonderful new learnings helped me to absorb the "Universe's story" into my current understanding of where I came from, how I got here and what it takes to protect life on Earth.

I am grateful for this book and suggest it for book and church reading groups of all ages. Her next book continues the learning and I look forward to her third and last of this series.

For all ages
I'm giving this book to my grandchildren although I recommend it for adults who are not familiar with the new story of the evolutionary universe. It is accessible, well-written, carefully researched and stunningly illustrated. In the spirit of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme, the book, while faithful to science, begins to open doors to the remarkable insights offered by our new origin story.

magic and more
Born with a Bang is a unique book....at once visually stunning, scientifically rich, accessible to kids and adults, entrancing, and most importantly...presenting a new (to me) way to think and feel about who we are and how we got here.

Learning what could be the important lessons in life, while being entertained and often amused....I'll take that anytime. Can't wait for more from Ms Morgan and Ms Andersen..

Born with a Bang, The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story
I was entertained by this imaginative, yet scientific "telling" of many transformations that the Universe has gone through from the Big Bang up to the formation of our solar system. The book assumes consciousness precedes material manifestation. I have seen children listen wide-eyed and pleased to have this story told from the point of view of the "first person". It makes what could be dry cosmological science seem very personal. I especially appreciated the scientific markers in the back of the book which revealed a number of new conclusions that were unknown when I went to school. The illustrations are amazing and evocative.

An Eye Opener
I purchase several copies of this book at a time and give them away to families I know with young children. As a student of the universe story and Director of an environmental organization that bases its work on this material, I find the book to be entertaining (for adults as well as children), and scientifically very solid. I read it to myself over and over. The "first-person" approach is enchanting, especially for kids, It removes the fields of cosmology and astro-physics from the realm of the abstract and renders them delightfully understandable. If you or your kids are curious about how the universe came to be (and our place in it as humans), run, don't walk to this book (and its sequel, "From Lava to Life"). ... Read more

Book Description

Dora and Boots are headed to outer space! They are going to help their alien friends get back home to the Purple Planet. Readers can help Dora by using the stickers to find the way through the starry sky! ... Read more

Book Description

In this lively book, award-winning author-artist Bob Barner takes readers on a ride through outer space to visit distant planets and dazzling stars. The simple rhyming text and colorful torn-paper collage illustrations make this book perfect for the very youngest readers, and the Meet the Planets and Meet the Galaxy sections, both bursting with facts, will engage older readers as well. Stars! Stars! Stars! will rocket aspiring stargazers right out of this world! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book may teach your little one more than you think!
I bought this book for my just-turned-three year old daughter. She likes it a lot and requests it by name. I'm sure that it would be just as suitable for younger children. It is a nice introduction to the solar system, and the universe around us.

My daughter likes the simple illustrations and the rhyming text.

What I had not realized when I first reviewed this book is how much this book really teaches. Imagine my surprise when my daughter rattled off the names of the planets, in order from the sun, one day. I was also surprised that she saw a poster of stars and told me "look constellations!" (Well it was a three year old's approximation of the word "constellations" but I knew what she meant.) I would never have pushed her to learn about the solar system, but I'm pleased that this book gave her a way to follow a natural interes. ... Read more

Book Description

In Freddy and the Men From Mars, the trouble starts when a newspaper reports that six little creatures, believed to be the only Martians ever to have visited Earth, have been captured single-handedly by Mr. Herbert Garble. This news wouldn't have disturbed Freddy and the other barn animals had not the paper further stated that their friend Mr. Boomschmidt had invited Mr. G. and his men from Mars to join Boomschmidt's Stupendous and Unexcelled Circus. Freddy, ever ready to maintain his reputation as a detective, immediately suspects a hoax, and quickly sets out to expose it. How he manages to do so, with the help of Jinx, the Horrible Ten, and several other familiar allies-and a band of real Martians who turn up just in the nick of time-makes for one of the most hilarious of all the Freddy tales, a story that is simply out of this world!

"Freddy is simply one of the greatest characters in children's literature!" (School Library Journal) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pig 200, Rats 0
Freddy the Pig and his friends from the Bean farm have come a long way from their first trip to Florida in 1928. Now they have a Farm Animals Republic, a bank, a newspaper, an atomic powered car and even a rocket ship. But, despite the prestige and renown of being Bean farm animals, their basic nature had remains the same - they are honest, forthright, and darned funny.

Things bode ill for the Boomschmidt Circus when Herbert Garble (who has never had an honest day in his life) joins them with six strange looking men from Mars - each a foot high, in red pajamas and wearing red fluffy whiskers. Freddy is sure there is some fraud involved, but the Circus is making a ton of money and the last thing the farm animals want to do is hurt Mr. Boomschmidt. Freddy, Jinx the Cat, Uncle Ben and Mrs. Peppercorn head out to investigate.

What they find is pretty fishy, or rather, pretty ratty. Mean old Simon the rat and his family are up to their necks in trouble making, and Garble's Martians are just the start. If the rats have their way the Beans will be forced off their farm and Uncle Ben will lose his rocket ship. Drastic times call for drastic measures as the animals prepare to go to war.

If things are strange with fake Martians, they get stranger when a flying saucer full of real Martians shows up to investigate. Soon there are rats pretending they are Martians, rabbits pretending they are rats pretending they are Martians, and real Martians stirring the pot. As Freddy nearly is sent to Montana to become pork chops and bacon, everything hangs in the balance.

As always Walter Brooks' tales combine humor and suspense with a natural sense of values that apply equally to animal and man. If the science in this book is a bit silly it is still engaging enough for its intended readership. And the simple lessons of friendship and doing what is right never grow old.

The Best of Bean Sci-Fi
I was prejudiced against Bean's fifties incursion into space after the tedium of "Freddy and the Space Ship," but "Men from Mars" proved to be a surprisingly strong title. My six year old son laughed a lot and was thrilled when one of his favorite villains showed up. A good one! ... Read more

Book Description

Where does the word "planet" come from? How long is a year on Mercury? What is the temperature on Venus? Is Pluto really a planet? This new Level 2 All Aboard Reading book will answer these questions and more about the solar system. The information is completely up to date and accurate-a perfect introduction for young skywatchers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a easy to read refrence
I use multiple copies of this text in my fifth grade class to teach landforms, and weather.This book is way better than any textbook I have ever seen.Each topic has full color pictures, and easy child friendly text.The key vocabulary words are in bold print, and the index makes for easy finding of information. The hard back has kept up well in my room this year, as it is treated like the other text books I issue the students (we all know what happens to those).I could not be more pleased with this book. I highly recomend this book to anyone researching physical science. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The BEST intergalactic toad book I have ever read.
This book really fills a big black hole in modern literature. The subject of toads in space has been constantly avoided, mishandled, and disregarded since the publication of Ivan Rabinavski's "Why Toads could never make it on the moon." Jane Yolen places the space-toad in its proper perspective in a beautiful and meaningful manner, pulling no punches and using no foul language. I loved it ... Read more

Book Description

Join Felix as he learns all about our amazing planet!Kids will learn about different ecologies as Felix visits the North Pole, rain forests, deserts and tropical seas.Felix sends 6 real letters to Sophie as he travels on this fantastic world voyage.He uses a special fold out world map to trace and track his travels -kids will be able to use the map to plan their own trips!Over 5 million kids worldwide have read about Felix and his amazing travels!Start traveling with Felix today! ... Read more