Customer Reviews

Looking for Life in the Universe

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Packed with facts, much of the information is presented in terms that youngsters can understand, i.e. "It would take 10 billion bowls of cereal to fill [the telescope's dish] to the brim." Part of the "Scientists in the Field" series and told from a third person perspective, Jill Tarter, director of SETI (Search for ExtraTerrrestrial Intelligence) and the woman whom Contact by Carl Sagan is loosely based on is heavily featured throughout the book. Many of the colorful, clear photographs are taken with a wide angle lens and are distorted in a "bubble" like fashion. An addendum at the end of the book lists related websites for children, additional bibliography and is careful to note that SETI does not work with people who have claimed to be abducted by aliens. This non-fiction piece would be ideal to augment 3rd, 4th and 5th grade astronomy centered lesson plans as well as for any young budding scientist. Additionally, this book could be used as part of a unit on "careers"

With the exception of books about dinosaurs, you cant cram a whole bunch of facts into a book, use simplified language, and call it a children's book. Why are Children going to care about a lady named Jill or the fact that she found a way to coat a wishbone with quicksilver so it would look different from everybody else's or the fact that it takes so many bowls of cereal to fill up a telescope?. Why are children going to care about a big signal from space that we only got once and never again, or that we've recieved a lot of false alarms? I've got the answer THEY'RE NOT. This book is not for children unless you want them to fall asleep or die of boredom.

I could see this being used in elementary schools but for children? NO WAY.