The Reason for the Seasons

by Ellie Peterson, Ellie Peterson (Illustrator)

Overview

We all know there are four seasons in a year. But HOW do we know? Join intrepid young scientist-adventurer Joulia Copernicus on a journey around the world as she explains with humor and wit how we know what causes the seasons.

Winter, spring, summer, fall — we all have a favorite season. But what makes the seasons happen in the first place? Ellie Peterson's clear, concise language and bold, kid-friendly illustrations bring science to life through narrator Joulia Copernicus, a strong and adventurous kid scientist. Kids will laugh while learning at the same time about the science behind the changing of the seasons throughout the year.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635921366
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	02/11/2020
Series:	A Joulia Copernicus Book
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	801,879
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 12.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	900L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Ellie Peterson is a middle school science teacher by day, author and artist by night (and any time when doodling can occur). She is inspired to teach readers to question how they know what they know. She works in watercolors, colored pencils, fine pens, pastels, and digitally.

Editorial Reviews

★ "Seasons happen everywhere on the Earth, but the reason they occur may not be as obvious as it seems. (Scientist) Joulia... determines that there is more to the seasons than first meets the eye. Oversize pages and vibrant illustrations immediately draw readers into the narrative... (and) the text is written in a way that is easily accessible to elementary school–age readers. Just as a real scientist questions the assumptions of the world, Joulia gets to the bottom of the question of the seasons in an enjoyable and educational way. This book will help elementary school students better understand one of the most widely recognized aspects of space science." — School Library Journal, starred review 

"Joulia Copernicus, a young scientist in a white lab coat and safety goggles, returns to help readers learn why seasons exist. The (book's) logical structure starts with misconceptions and moves toward understanding, but it is the full-color illustrations, bristling with fun details pertaining to the seasons and anthropomorphic planetary bodies, that make this book stand out. Joulia's obvious enthusiasm, accessible language, and the use of sequential visual formats actively involve kids in thinking about scientific concepts. A breezy, information-packed, visually attractive explanation of an important elementary school science topic." — Kirkus Reviews


"Scientist Joulia Copernicus takes readers around the world and into space to explain why we have seasons on Earth. Fun, expressive illustrations depict Joulia taking an active part in learning as she explains how Earth’s tilt would look in space, the effects it has on different parts of the globe, and how misconceptions about Earth’s seasons came to be. Readers will find Joulia’s love and excitement for science contagious and might even find ideas for science fair projects as a result. An excellent and accessible introduction to the science behind Earth’s seasons." — Booklist   

From the Publisher

★ 02/01/2020

Gr 1–4—Seasons happen everywhere on the Earth, but the reason they occur may not be as obvious as it seems. Joulia Copernicus is a scientist: she observes the world around her and investigates what she does not know until she finds the answer. Spring, summer, fall, and winter are the four primary seasons, though some places experience additional seasons depending on their location. The widespread popular belief is that seasons occur because of how close the Earth happens to be to the sun. Joulia investigates this conclusion, however, and determines that there is more to the seasons than first meets the eye. Oversize pages and vibrant illustrations immediately draw readers into the narrative. While it is filled with an abundance of information, the text is written in a way that is easily accessible to elementary school–age readers. Instead of immediately getting to the conclusion, the story progresses through incorrect opinions first and explains the fault in each one; therefore, readers directly experience the scientific process through a narrative structure. Just as a real scientist questions the assumptions of the world, Joulia gets to the bottom of the question of the seasons in an enjoyable and educational way. The final page provides a scientific experiment to show how seasons work and to help explain this concept to others. VERDICT This book will help elementary school students better understand one of the most widely recognized aspects of space science.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

School Library Journal

2019-12-18
Joulia Copernicus, a young scientist in a white lab coat and safety goggles, returns to help readers learn why seasons exist.

In the jaunty first-person narration readers will remember from series opener It's a Round, Round World! (2019), Joulia tells why many think the Earth has seasons: its orbit around the sun and its rotation. She demonstrates why these theories are incorrect and then introduces the answer: the role of Earth's tilt. The logical structure starts with misconceptions and moves toward understanding, but it is the full-color illustrations, bristling with fun details pertaining to the seasons and anthropomorphic planetary bodies, that make this book stand out. Joulia's obvious enthusiasm, accessible language, and the use of sequential visual formats actively involve kids in thinking about scientific concepts. The last page explains how Johannes Kepler's discovery about 400 years ago regarding the Earth's path has led to some of our confusion and also gives instructions for a simple experiment. Joulia presents white, as do the two other humans depicted. While other, diverse characters would be welcome, it's good to see a capable girl excited about science. The seasons are those readers in the northern U.S. will recognize, although Joulia explains how variations occur near the equator and in the Southern Hemisphere.

A breezy, information-packed, visually attractive explanation of an important elementary school science topic. (Informational picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews