Faraway Worlds: Planets Beyond Our Solar System [Hardcover]

Paul Halpern (Author), Lynette R. Cook (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Learn the secrets of planet-hunters as they search for planets beyond our solar system. Is there more to a star than meets the eye?

Take a trip to an alien world and encounter wobbling stars, frozen moons, and boiling oceans. Stunning illustrations and cutting-edge science make this book a first in the field. Includes a glossary and index.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–This introduction to one of astronomy's most active and exciting pursuits combines a simplified account of the clever techniques scientists use to infer the existence of planets orbiting other stars with a gallery of dramatic, if speculative, painted views of what those planets and their suns might look like. Halpern describes the size, orbit, and atmosphere of several recent discoveries, and closes with a reference to the Kepler spacecraft that, when it's launched a few years from now, will really jump-start the search for extrasolar planets. Considering how little is known about these planets, Cook's full-bleed, color art adds more visual interest than hard information, and the distinction between fact and fiction is drawn with reasonable clarity. Halpern and Cook use different but equally effective approaches to kindle that sense of wonder in readers not yet ready for more extensive treatments of the topic, such as Ron Miller's Extrasolar Planets (21st Century Bks., 2002).–John Peters, New York Public Library --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. In 1995 the wobble of a distant star led astronomers to deduce the existence of a planet beyond our solar system. Presenting the story of extrasolar planets in a relatively short, clearly written text, Halpern discusses how scientists identify and study these planets and in what ways they resemble those already known. Made with computers, colored pencils, and acrylics, Cook's striking artwork creates clear images of our own solar system and richly colored, imaginative scenes of worlds never seen. The last page includes a brief glossary and index as well as two suggested Web sites. A good addition to astronomy collections, this is an intriguing topic about which little has been published for children. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570916160
• ISBN-13: 978-1570916168
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,803,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Physicist and writer Paul Halpern is the author of twelve popular science books, exploring the subjects of space, time, extrasolar planets, particle physics, higher dimensions and cosmology. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright Scholarship and an Athenaeum Literary Award. His most recent book examines the Large Hadron Collider and the quest for the fundamental particles of the universe.

More information about Paul Halpern's books and other writings can be found at:
www.phalpern.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Facts & Fantastic Photos!, September 19, 2006

By 

M. Terrana "Lady M" (Elizabeth, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Faraway Worlds: Planets Beyond Our Solar System (Hardcover)

Wonderful up-to-date knowledge regarding the Milky Way Galaxy. My twelve year old son did a summer reading report from the information in this book.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a good book about planets, September 26, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Faraway Worlds: Planets Beyond Our Solar System (Hardcover)

The pictures of planets are beautiful. It is interesting to read about places that I never went to before. Wow. I wish I could visit these planets and see what an alien looks like. I would like to see the volcanoes too.