When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto [Hardcover]

Elaine Scott (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Space and planets are topics of endless fascination to kids and part of every grade-school curriculum. Yet because of the history-making reassignment of Pluto from “planet” to “dwarf planet” on August 24, 2006, all books on the solar system are now out of date.
Enter When is a Planet Not a Planet? The Story of Pluto by Elaine Scott, an esteemed writer of non-fiction for children. Scott is the first to put the answer to the title question into terms simple enough for a very young audience to understand, based upon the new definitions determined by the International Astronomical Union.
Well-researched and accompanied by large, awe-inspiring photographs and paintings, this exciting new book makes clear what astronomers have argued about for decades.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Scott takes the 2006 downgrading of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet as a teachable moment for discussing questions such as how the number of planets has changed through the centuries, what can be called a planet, and how scientists come to conclusions—and occasionally change their minds. Following a section on early astronomy, a succinct, timely, and somewhat surprising account of planetary history begins with Herschel's 1781 discovery of the seventh planet, Uranus. Twenty years later, Piazzi found Ceres, which was considered the eighth planet. In 1846, Galle discovered Neptune, bringing the total to nine. When objects similar to Ceres were found in the same orbit, all (including Ceres) were placed in a new category: asteroids. In other words, even before the discovery of Pluto, there were once nine planets, but one of them was demoted. Beautifully designed, the book includes many well-captioned, color illustrations, from period portraits to NASA images to artist's conceptions. A glossary and lists of recommended books and Web sites are appended. A good choice for updating astronomy collections. Phelan, Carolyn

Review

"Through engaging and child-friendly language, Scott discusses the history ... behind the discovery of the nine planets.... A great resource." School Library Journal, Starred

"Beautifully designed.... A good choice for updating astronomy collections." Booklist, ALA

Illustrations include photographs of astronomers and outer space; artists' renderings of simulations, such as a protoplanetary disk forming around a star; and diagrams of various planetary features. A glossary, recommended readings and websites, and an index round out the book.
Horn Book

Horn Book

Color photos and diagrams are both attractive and informative, and slightly oversized fonts makes the subject seem less daunting.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This is a great example to show students the power of research...an outstanding title." LMC January 2008 Library Media Connection

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (August 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618898328
• ISBN-13: 978-0618898329
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #834,709 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elaine Scott was born in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, the middle child of three born to her father, George J. Watts, Jr., a banker and his wife, Ethel, a homemaker. Her father's career took the family to Texas in 1952 and there, with the exception of a brief stint in Nigeria, Elaine Scott has remained. Her books have appeared on numerous "Best Books" lists and have won various awards including the American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award for Close Encounters With the Universe,and the Texas State Reading Association Literature Award for Young Children for When is a Planet Not a Planet? Her newest book, Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time, will be published in January, 2011. She is now at work on Buried Alive! The Story of the Chilean Miners, to be published by Clarion in 2012.

Elaine and her husband, Parker, make their home in Houston, Texas. When she isn't busy writing (which is rarely) she enjoys reading (of course,)teaching adults, visiting schools, and traveling with her husband, Parker--especially to Kauai, Hawaii,--or to Dallas to visit with their daughters, Cindy and Susan and the most outstanding grandchild in the world, Jackson Scott Beasley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of this World!, August 27, 2007

By 

TexasReader - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto (Hardcover)

Elaine Scott is one of the best non-fiction writer's writing for kids today. She's a great storyteller, but her stories are true. This is the first post-Pluto demotion book to truly explain what happened to poor Pluto. But beyond that, Scott explains how scientists decide which of the celestial bodies is a planet and which are lesser pieces of turf. Especially great reading for boys (ages 8-14)!

6 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mom of a 4 year old, February 2, 2008

By 

M. Koehn (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto (Hardcover)

This book is really about astrology, and scientists who study the solar system. I was looking for a book to explain to my preschooler why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. You have to read the whole book (and long explanations of a long list of astronomers from the 1500s to today)to get to the 3 pages that explain why scientists no longer consider it a planet.

This would be more suitable for a middle school child interested in the subject as a whole - it doesn't focus on Pluto.