Astronomy Books for Children-03/13/09

This list has been compiled by MaryBeth Laychak (Head, CFHT Outreach) and Liz Bryson (Librarian, CFHT). We welcome suggestions for adding to the list.

Barner, B. Stars! Stars! Stars! (Grades K-2)

• Rhyming story that introduces planets
• End of book has a tiny section on each planet and sun and defines words like star, planet, moon.

Bennett, J.  Max Goes to the Moon: A Science Adventure with Max the Dog (Ages 4-8)

• Story of a dog going to the moon with astronauts
• Shows how people trained to go to the moon
• Each page has fact about space travel and the moon that don’t relate directly to the story.

Branley, F. The Planets in our Solar System (Let’s read & find out science 2) (Grades K-2).

• This book introduces young children to a more detailed look at our Solar System and with specific facts about each planet.

Branley, F. Mission to Mars (Let’s read & find out science 2)(Grade K-3).

• How astronauts would visit Mars and What They’d Find

Branley, F. Day light, night light (Ages 4-8).

• As usual, Branley has presented science in a clear and very readable format. However, Day Light, Night Light has a limited content scope--natural and man-made sources of light and seeing objects from reflected light.

Cefrey, H. What if an Asteroid hit the Earth (Ages 9-12)

• All about asteroids: What they are, where they come from, space surveys.

Cole, J., Degen, B. The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System (Ages 4-8)

• A first-class introduction to the planets, fine for pleasure or purpose reading.

Crelin, B. There Once was a Sky full of Stars (Ages 4-8).

• The illustrations are beautiful, and the singsong verse tells of the wonders of the night sky, and how they are lost in light pollution, and what other negative consequences light pollution has for nature.

Crelin, B. Faces of the Moon. (Ages 4-8).

• New! Another beautiful book by Bob Crelin.

DeCristofano, C.C., Carroll, M. Big Bang! The Tongue-Tickling Tale of a Speck That Became Spectacular (Grade 4-6)

• DeCristofano tells the story of the origin of the universe. She describes the original singularity from which the Big Bang erupted and follows with the rapid expansion of the universe, the formation of atoms, stars, galaxies, and so on.

Davis, K. Don’t Know much about the Solar System (Grades 3-5)

• Not good for reading aloud.
• Uses a Q&A format
• Divided into sections about earth, solar system, each planet

DK Publishing. Universe (DK Eyewitness Books). (Ages 9-12)

• Not for out loud reading
• Everything about the universe, planets, stars, galaxies, quasars, etc.

Gibbons, G. Planet Earth/Inside Out (Grades 2-4).

• Gibbons deals with theories about the earth's formation, its surface, and its interior.

Hakaraia, L. Celebrating Matariki (CD & Book).

• Explains what Matariki is, how, where and when the constellation can be seen, and explains the importance of Matariki in Maori life and culture.
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Latta, S. Stella Brite and the Dark Matter Mystery (Ages 9-12).

• Stella Brite is a young and curious girl who, along with her brother Max, find themselves embarking on an astrophysics detective adventure as they search for mysterious dark matter that holds the universe together.

Love, A. & Drake, J. The Kids Book of the Night Sky (Grades 3-6).

• Using a lively combination of clearly written text, myths and legends, jokes, and activities, the authors present an excellent introduction to the many wonders of the night sky throughout the seasons. The sun, the moon and its phases, and eclipses are clearly explained and brief information about the planets' surfaces, paths, temperatures, and levels of brightness rounds out the text.

Rockliff, M. Pieces of Another World (Ages 4-8).

• This book is a wonderful way to introduce the night sky to children.

*Simon, S. Planet Mars (Grades P-1).

• Large, bright pictures instantly engage readers in the subject.

*Simon, S. Stars (Ages 4.8)

• Project Apollo

*Simon, S. Destination Space (Grade 4-7)

• In this handsome and fascinating oversized book, Simon discusses the many new discoveries scientists have made because of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), which has been orbiting Earth since April, 1990. On each spread, the large-print, easy-to-understand text is supported by a stunning, full-page color photograph.

*Simon, S.the Universe (Grades 3-6).

• Simon offers what amounts to an introduction to his long running, literally and figuratively stellar series of photo-essays on matters astronomical. Matching full-color, full- and double-page-spread-sized light and radio photographs of nebulas, galaxies, and sundry deep-space phenomena with two or three paragraphs of explanatory text, he covers a wide range of topics, from the Big Bang to quasars, from star formation to extrasolar planets.

Smithsonian. Extreme Stars! (Ages 4-8).

The Usborne First Guide to the Universe (Explainers Series) (Ages 4-8)

• Excellent Book…too long to read aloud
• Three sections: Earth, Space Flght/Rockets, planets
• Explains weather, star formation, space flight