Asteroid Impact [Hardcover]

Douglas Henderson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Sixty-five million years ago, Earth was alive with pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and dinosaurs. But some event brought the Age of Reptiles to an abrupt end--an event believed by many scientists to be the collision of a large asteroid with Earth. Douglas Henderson draws on well-respected theories from physics, geology, astronomy, and paleontology to re-create the asteroid's impact. With breathtaking paintings and a clear accessible text, he explains this fascinating subject in vivid detail.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-In a seamless combination of dramatic paintings and lucid text, Henderson presents the sequence of events that closed the Cretaceous Period and, according to many scientists, caused the extinction of a vast array of life-forms, including the dinosaurs. Coordinating data from a broad spectrum of disciplines, the author reconstructs the catastrophic impact of an asteroid some six miles across as it rocketed out of space and slammed into the Yucat n Peninsula. Readers can follow, step by step, as the enormous explosion generated a huge crater and devastating shock waves, earthquakes, forest fires, tidal waves, and a vast plume of ejecta reaching up into space (and ultimately surrounding the planet). Two pages of questions and answers detail the 1977 discovery of the K/T boundary, evidence that a comet or asteroid fell to Earth 65 million years ago, and describe the unprecedented coalition of geologists, paleontologists, astronomers, and physicists that brought the theory together. A brilliant re-creation of an apocalypse.
Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. Henderson tells the story of the trillion-ton asteroid, which many scientists believe struck Earth 65 million years ago. In this dramatic presentation, the impact immediately caused a giant crater in the sea near the present-day Yucatan peninsula as well as shock waves moving through the earth, air, and sea, and a vapor plume that loomed over North America, raining dust and melted rock that started fires. Earth was enveloped in a dust cloud that blocked the sun and many species of plants and animals, most notably the dinosaurs, died out. Through vivid words and pictures, Henderson makes this lesson in Earth's history into a you-were-there experience that will captivate both children and adults. After setting the stage with a vision of life in the Cretaceous period, he takes two pages to lucidly explain and illustrate kinetic energy as a prelude to the crash itself. Words and pictures work exceedingly well together. The illustrations, apparently acrylic paintings, are beautifully composed. There are well-imagined scenes of land and sea animals in the late Cretaceous period, the earth seen from space, and the stages of devastation brought about by the asteroid, which as Henderson notes in the appended "Questions and Answers" section, may have been a comet. The appendix presents scientific evidence that supports this theory. A fascinating introduction to "the great impact." Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Dial Books/Penguin Putnam (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803725000
• ISBN-13: 978-0803725003
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #341,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ASTEROID IMPACT A SMASH!, September 14, 2000

By 

Brian Franczak (New Britain, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asteroid Impact (Hardcover)

Douglas Henderson's newest children's book ASTEROID IMPACT is without doubt the best nonfiction dinosaur book for kids to hit the shelves since, well, Henderson's last book. Lavishly illustrated with 28 breathtaking full-color scenes (including the cover) and 6 color diagrammatic illustrations, the book sets up and depicts the scenario of an asteroid impact and its aftermath at the end of the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago.

No one is better than Henderson when it comes to rendering dinosaurs and other Mesozoic denizens in their natural habitats, and this book contains what I consider to be some of his best paleolife work ever. Unsurprisingly, he also shows the same affinity and aptitude for astronomical art, presenting a series of awe-inspiring space scenes that simply boggle the mind with their artistry. He starts the 40-page book with several eye-poppingly beautiful scenes of life in Late Cretaceous North America and its environs just prior to the impact, then begins interspersing them with some of the best space art this side of Chesley Bonestell as he begins showing the asteroid's approach. When the mountain-sized rock finally comes hurtling through Earth's atmosphere and smashes into the ocean near what is now the Yucatán Peninsula, so precisely designed and brilliantly executed are the images that one has the overwhelming impression of viewing an actual documentary film of the event.

The book's text is no less an accomplishment, concise and intelligently written, unlike the (sadly) greater majority of cliché-ridden dinosaur books for children that inhabit bookstore shelves, volumes that impart little of real substance and uncaringly continue to perpetuate outmoded ideas. This is Henderson's second outing as writer/artist (DINOSAUR TREE, published by Bradbury Press in 1994, was his first solo effort) and the time and care taken to ensure that this book is accurate and accessible is evident on every page. At no time does he insult his young audience by "dumbing down" his text, yet another common complaint concerning the current crop of dinosaur books aimed at kids. Henderson presents his data in clear, simple language without sacrificing any of the underlying scientific content. A rare feat, and one to be lauded in an age where science, our one true connection to the real world, is all-too-often relegated to the background or, worse, ignored entirely in favor of mindless "entertainment".

Buy this book. Better yet, buy two. Give one to a child who'll appreciate it and keep the other for yourself.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scary, creepy, and worth every penny, April 17, 2002

By 

Robert Gay "Rob" (Page, Az.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Asteroid Impact (Hardcover)

Okay, so "creepy" and "scary" aren't usually words associated with childrens' books...but let's face it, the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period wasn't exactly nice and tame either...
When I first read this book, it gave me goosebumps...in fact, every time I read through it, it gives me goosebumps...the artwork is simply astounding. Henderson is the best of the best: you ARE there when you are looking at his paintings...and these paintings are nothing less than terrifying in their realism. I highly recomend this book to anyone and everyone. Buy one. Buy tons, because this is the closest you will ever get to experiencing the K/T Impact Event.

5.0 out of 5 stars Asteroid Impact, October 18, 2004

By 

Joe Zika "Khemprof" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Asteroid Impact (Hardcover)

"Asteroid Impact" written by Douglas Henderson is a wonderful little book that explains, in not too technical terms, how and what happens when an asteroid impacts with the Earth. This book is written for readers that are from 6 to 9 years old, making the reading content along with the brilliant illustrations, a wonder for those of any age. "Asteroid Impact" draws on many well-respected theories from paleontology, physics, geology and astronomy making for very engaging reading.

The book takes the reader back in time to about sixty-five million years ago, when the Earth was alive with the dinosaurs, reptiles and mammals, as we see an asteroid plunge through the Earth's atmosphere and slam directly into the Earth. Making a real mess for the life living at the time. The book has some really good painting art combining plants with dinosaurs in it, also of what happens when an astroid hits the Earth.

The text is easy to read and makes for some very good reading... it's engaging and makes the reader think as to what can happen if an impact should occur of the same magnitude as the one that hit the Yucatan Peninsula. Just as the Earth's life has died out after the great extinction in the Mesozoic Era... the time the dinosaurs lived... began. Now, the Mesozoic was to end with another great extinction... an astroid impact would bring a catastrophe to the late Cretaceous world. I would highly recommed this book for the early reader from 7 years of age and on. This book tells the tale without too much of the technical jargon but conveys and makes the point abundantly clear as to what has happened. The typeface is easy to read and is larger for the younger readers as they read into the book they get to see what is happening by the picture art.

"Asteroid Impact" has a question and answer section in the back of the book and an index and bibliography for the reader to do further research albeit rather limited. But, it gets the reader a start in the right direction, to satisfy some of the built up curiosity. "Asteroid Impact" is a solid 5 star book as it is engaging, interesting, informative, and educational.