Jump Into Science: Stars

by Steve Tomecek

Overview

Where do stars go in the daytime? How far away are stars? What stories can they tell us?

Marvel at the mythic stories of the constellations and try finding your own patterns in the sky. Think beyond our sun and wonder what other planets might be circling other stars and what, or who, might be on them. Open the book and blast off to the stars!

"A sure winner for future astronomers and their stargazing parents. Tomecek and newcomer Yoshikawa make an excellent duo in rendering concepts understandable to readers." —Kirkus Reviews

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780792255819
Publisher:	Disney - RHCB
Publication date:	05/09/2006
Series:	Jump into Science Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.73(w) x 8.86(h) x 0.13(d)
Lexile:	AD580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Steve Tomecek, the Executive Director and founder of Science Plus, Inc., is the author of numerous books, including three other Jump Into Science titles. He was the winner of the 1996 American Institute of Physics Excellence in Science Writing Award. He lives in Bellerose, New York.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 2-This colorful book offers a solid introduction to its subject. Basic concepts are carefully explained-where stars go during the day, why they seem to rise and set, what one actually looks like, relative heat, distance from the Earth both in light years and miles, etc. An experiment that illustrates the relationship between a star's distance and brightness is included at the end. Done in acrylics and mixed media, Yoshikawa's clear, vivid artwork backs up and extends the text. The clearly labeled diagrams are helpful. This appealing book will help backyard astronomers understand the night sky. Use this title as part of a science unit and pair it with Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System (Scholastic, 1990) and Seymour Simon's Stars (Morrow, 1986) for a thorough overview of the topic. One small proofreading cavil: on the last page, there is a picture of a mirror that contains a misprint. Irritating, given that it is followed by the injunction to "Think."-Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

The latest in the Jump Into Science series is a sure winner for future astronomers and their stargazing parents. Tomecek (Dirt, 2002, etc.) and newcomer Yoshikawa make an excellent duo in rendering concepts understandable to young readers. In simple language, Tomecek presents the major facts about the stars in our sky. For example: why they seem to disappear when the sky is bright, how far away they are, why some are brighter than others, and why it looks like the stars travel around the earth each day. Young readers are given enough to whet their appetites, especially when it comes to the constellations. A flashlight activity at the end helps children understand the idea that the farther away a star is, the dimmer it will appear to us here on Earth. Yoshikawa has personalized the reader’s journey through the sky by providing a guide: a young boy and his canine companion. Although the boy spends a considerable amount of time looking puzzled, and the dog amazed, together with the vivid colors and detailed borders, they draw children in and focus their attention on the concepts. Two drawbacks: the diagram of distances from the earth to several stars is not even close to scale (noted in the text), and the page detailing constellations in the southern hemisphere is printed upside down--a neat idea, but rather annoying to readers. Overall a solid foundation for future astronomy studies. (Nonfiction. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews