Title: Journey Around the Sun
Author: James Gladstone
Major Themes: Astronomy, Comets
Synopsis: What events has Halley’s Comet seen during its recurring trips around the sun?
I have always really liked children’s nonfiction picture books. They are such a good way to get children interested in historical events or scientific topics. When I came across Journey Around the Sun, I knew my children would be interested in it. Sure enough, my 6-year-old and 9-year-old found it very interesting, and we learned a lot about comets from it!
What has Halley’s Comet seen in its many passes around the sun? This delightful picture book shows many scenes from history. Mentions are made of descriptions of comets throughout history, from Chinese and Babylonian astronomers to one that was seen a few months before the battle of Hastings, and many others. Finally, in the 1700s, an English scientist realized that there was a pattern—there was a comet seen every 75 or 76 years. He theorized that it was the same one, and predicted its return, and it showed up right on schedule!
I was very glad to reach the end of Journey Around the Sun and find a couple of pages of explanation about comets from a scientific perspective, to round out the historical information. My little children were asking questions about all the way through the book, and those pages answered their questions. This is a great book to have on the shelf, especially for scientifically-inclined children.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
No warnings!
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9, 8 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Hardcover
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