A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations--and How You Can Find Them in the Sky [Hardcover]

Michael Driscoll (Author), Meredith Hamilton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2004 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 1120L (What's this?)

Children eight and up will enjoy this conversational but information-packed introduction to astronomy and stargazing, which includes the achievements of the great scientists, the history of space exploration, the story of our solar system, the myths behind the constellations, and how to navigate the night sky. Whimsical color illustrations on every page and handy definitions and sidebars help engage younger readers and develop their interest. The special star wheel helps locate stars and planets from any location at any time of year. This is the third in Black Dog & Leventhal's successful series including The Story of the Orchestra and A Child's Introduction to Poetry.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Supported by a mix of cartoon vignettes, elaborately detailed illustrations of constellations, sky maps, and small but dramatic space photos, this tour of the universe takes readers through the solar system and well beyond–introducing along the way a handful of astronomers, space probes, myths, and principles of physics. Hamilton's informal scenes of dinosaurs watching a giant meteor coming down, stars cast as human figures with exploding heads, and such mirror Driscoll's general tone. Beneath such chapter heads as "Hunks, Chunks, and Flying Objects" or "The Zodiac Zoo," the author notes that "Stars and planets get most of the attention when we're talking about space. But there's lots of other cool stuff up there, too." The author defines special terms in a running "Deep Space Dictionary," and closes with an array of dates, calendars, and current paper or electronic resources. Because all of the information here is easily available elsewhere, and the sheet of glow-in-the-dark stickers and the adjustable star finder tucked into a pocket will be problems in a library setting, this genial, handsomely packaged survey makes an appealing, but secondary, choice.–John Peters, New York Public Library
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From the Inside Flap

Since ancient times, people have been looking up and wondering about all of the things that glow in the night sky, and about our place in the big, wide universe. The study of the night sky and all of the objects and forces up there is called astronomy, and A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky is a great introduction to what astronomers have learned (and are still discovering), what astronauts and scientists explore—and what you yourself can find by gazing up into the night sky.

You'll learn about how stars are born; how the planets move through the sky; and just where we are within the big galaxy we call home; the Milky Way. You'll find out about solar and lunar eclipses, the phases of the Moon, and what a comet's tail is made of. You'll delve into mysterious forces (like black holes and dark matter) that are so strange that even scientists don't fully understand them yet.

And when it comes time to find out about the starry constellations, you'll learn their names and shapes, along with their stories—sometimes called myths—that were invented to help explain and identify them.

You'll even learn about rockets, satellites, space stations, and space travel, including some of the exciting plans we have for future missions. When will a person visit Mars? It might be sooner than you think!

Finally, you will find out how to take the handy Star Finder outside with you and find all of your favorite stars, constellations and planets in the sky, just like professional astronomers do. (Wait until you find out how easy it is to spot Venus).

With A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky, the Star Finder inside and the fun glow-in-the-dark stickers you can put on your ceiling, you will be a junior astronomer in no time!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers; Book and Access edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157912366X
• ISBN-13: 978-1579123666
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 0.7 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Astronomy & Space > Astronomy

More About the Author

Michael Driscoll is a reporter for the Martinsburg Journal in West Virginia, and has written for Reuters and the Associated Press. He's a former editor at Black Dog & Leventhal, where he worked on a wide range of titles, including the State Shapes series, Take Me Out to the Ballpark, and Photo Oops. Driscoll studied poetry at Emory University in Atlanta, and has been a poetry afficionado ever since.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 79 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Intended for Children Ages 9 - 12 , but a Fine Backup Guide for Adults! March 5, 2006

By Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

A CHILD'S INTRODUCTION TO THE NIGHT SKY is one of those 'children's books' that should be read by the adults before passing it along! There is much to learn in this colorful, artistic and very informative survey of the stars, making many of the legends behind the constellations and mythologically named configuration of stars easy to visualize and understand. It is bound to provoke questions from the 'child readers', making adult homework or refresher course a must.

Writer Michael Driscoll thankfully does not 'dumb down' his readers but rather stimulates with concise and informed language. After an interesting Welcome to the Universe, he divides the book into sections: What's Up There - both what we can see and what we can't see; and Exploring What's Up There - what astronomers and astronauts do and what the reader can do. He then outlines a brief history of space, maps of the night skies, and adds succinct histories of the mythological characters for whom the star configurations are named.

Accompanying this informative and entertaining take on the night sky is the artwork of Meredith Hamilton that goes beyond illustration into the science of depiction of stars. Included in the book are glow in the dark sticker packs and 'star finders' that, while they may cheapen the book for adults, they probably will please the younger brother and sisters in the family. For an outing of learning about the stars this is a very good beginning - for everyone! Grady Harp, March 06

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great astronomy 101 for the middle school and older child January 28, 2007

By light october

Format:Hardcover

The subtitle of the book is the Story of the Stars, Planets and Constellations -- and How You Can Find Them in the Sky. It should read The Stars, The Planets, the Astronomers, the Universe and Everything. The books has definitions, factoids, readable text, stories, illustrations, pictures, a star wheel/star finder, stickers and everything that has anything to do with our world and our universe. Not for small children (too much text/ too much information), but the best introduction to astronomy I have seen for middle school and older children presented in a very very approachable/ user friendly format. Well done!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Childs Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations and How You Can Find them in the sky September 16, 2006

By Irene E. Klein

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was a birthday present for my great nephew. The book comes with stars to put on the ceiling of the room which he just went crazy for. He finds the book challenging as he is in the 1st grade but reads 3rd and this is a 5th grade book. He loves it and it goes really well with his telecope. I recommend this book for those children who are into the sky.