Don't Know Much About the Solar System

Amazon.com
Five minutes with this book, and no one will be able to say they "don't know much about the solar system." Chock-full of facts, questions, and answers about the sun, gravity, planets, astronauts, space exploration, asteroids, the moon, and so much more, Kenneth C. Davis's Don't Know Much About the Solar System is a terrific resource for anyone interested in what's out there. Geared toward readers aged 6 to 9, the book uses a fun question-and-answer format, as well as riddles and humorous illustrations by Pedro Martin, to make learning about the solar system a positively sunny experience. Young readers discover why the moon is different shapes on different nights, which planets (besides Saturn) have rings, what's beyond the Milky Way, and why, if the earth is round, people on the other side don't fall off.

Davis, author of the bestselling Don't Know Much About History, has turned to a younger audience with his Don't Know Much About series. Don't Know Much About the 50 States is a great companion to the solar system title, while Don't Know Much About Planet Earth and Don't Know Much About Space work well for older readers. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter


From School Library Journal
Gr 3-5-The author of the popular "Don't Know Much about" series for adults and Don't Know Much about Space (HarperCollins, 2001) for middle readers goes after a somewhat younger audience here. Many of the facts are recycled, but the writing and art are all new, and the title doesn't reflect the book's scope. Davis covers the solar system's components, stars, constellations, galaxies, and space travel, too. Not in much depth, of course: with one to three questions per page and a several-sentence answer for each one, the intent here is plainly to spark interest in a topic, rather than lay out a systematic picture. The tone is anything but earnest; Davis sprinkles his tour with lame jokes ("What planets are the saddest? Answer: Uranus and Neptune-they're always blue!"), and Hallmark-artist Martin chimes in with plenty of lighthearted cartoon illustrations featuring wisecracking celestial bodies with faces and young explorers in space suits. Except that Galileo is wrongly credited with "proving" Copernicus's heliocentric theory, the information is accurate, as far as it goes, and budding astronomers ready to expand their view of the high frontier even further will find a generous selection of Web-site addresses at the end. Though this tour is but one in a crowd, its combination of visual appeal and lively exposition should attract and hold even less able or interested readers.John Peters, New York Public LibraryCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Book Description

Can you really catch a shooting star?

Why is our galaxy called "the Milky Way"?

Is Pluto just a comic-book character?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Can you really catch a shooting star?

Why is our galaxy called "the Milky Way"?

Is Pluto just a comic-book character?

The solar system is a big place with lots of big questions still to be answered. But now you can get a glimpse at what scientists know — without even having to leave the planet! Find out about asteroids, meteoroids, and craters. Learn how to safely watch a solar eclipse. Discover what makes each planet special and why Earth stands apart from the others.Kenneth C. Davis dispels many myths about the vast beyond in Don't Know Much About® The Solar System. His question-and-answer format, accompanied by riddles and humorous illustrations, make learning about the solar system an out-of-this-world experience!

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature

This entry in the "Don't Know Much about" series delivers the goods in zippy, hip, question-and-answer format. Each double-page includes four or five questions with paragraph answers; boxed extra, silly or fascinating facts; trivia contests; jokes; occasional bulleted material; and other varieties of design elements to catch the eye. Report writers can look in back for more numbers with which to compare planets, but there are more than enough facts and sidelights in the text that will interest children and invite plenty of "Dad! Mom! Did you know..."s at the dinner table. No index but the bold headings on each page lead children to information about each planet, the moon, the solar system and planet movement, the science of astronomy, and our place in the universe. Martin's black line and full-color cartoon illustrations contribute humor and visual interest. A cool presentation about a topic of great interest to middle elementary school students, this book could serve as a classroom catalyst and resource plus it's a good family kind of book. 2001, HarperCollins, $15.95 and $15.89. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Susan Hepler

School Library Journal