Don't Know Much About Space (Don't Know Much About...(Paperback)) - Softcover

Davis, Kenneth C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0064408353 ISBN 13: 9780064408356

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2001

Synopsis

• If Earth is round, why don't people on the other side of the world fall off? (see page 26)
• Is Mars red because it's embarrassed? (see page 49)
• If black holes are invisible, how do we know they're there? (see page 86)

Using the popular style that has won millions of readers, best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis blasts off for the stars! With an entertaining question-and-answer format, amusing anecdotes, and fact-filled sidebars, he sets his sights on the mysteries of space.

Humorous illustrations, along with NASA photographs, add fun and excitement to this fascinating and comprehensive book. Davis takes you back to the time when the Babylonians first charted the stars -- over three thousand years ago! You'll uncover amazing facts about the planets and stars, read how people were once convinced that Earth was the center of the universe, and discover how the experience of moonwalking astronauts may someday lead us to become pioneers on other planets.

This book is the perfect companion to Don't Know Much About® The Universe -- and all the other books in the New York Times best-selling Don't Know Much About® series.

About this title

About the Authors

Kenneth C. Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of A Nation Rising; America's Hidden History; and Don't Know Much About^® History, which spent thirty-five consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 1.7 million copies, and gave rise to his phenomenal Don't Know Much About^® series for adults and children. A resident of New York City and Dorset, Vermont, Davis frequently appears on national television and radio and has been a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered. He blogs regularly at www.dontknowmuch.com.

Sergio Ruzzier is a two-time Geisel Honor–winning picture book author and illustrator. He was born in Milan, Italy, in 1966 and began his career as an illustrator in 1986. Sergio has written and illustrated many picture books, including Fox & Chick: The Party, a 2019 Geisel Honor Book; Fish and Wave, a 2023 Geisel Honor Book; Two Mice; and more. He was a recipient of the 2011 Sendak Fellowship. His work has won many awards, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal for The Room of Wonders and This Is Not a Picture Book!

From the Back Cover

• If Earth is round, why don't people on the other side of the world fall off? (see page 26)
• Is Mars red because it's embarrassed? (see page 49)
• If black holes are invisible, how do we know they're there? (see page 86)

Using the popular style that has won millions of readers, best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis blasts off for the stars! With an entertaining question-and-answer format, amusing anecdotes, and fact-filled sidebars, he sets his sights on the mysteries of space.

Humorous illustrations, along with NASA photographs, add fun and excitement to this fascinating and comprehensive book. Davis takes you back to the time when the Babylonians first charted the stars -- over three thousand years ago! You'll uncover amazing facts about the planets and stars, read how people were once convinced that Earth was the center of the universe, and discover how the experience of moonwalking astronauts may someday lead us to become pioneers on other planets.

This book is the perfect companion to Don't Know Much About® The Universe -- and all the other books in the New York Times best-selling Don't Know Much About® series.

Reviews

Grade 4-6-Having scored hits with five "Don't Know Much About" books for adults, Davis goes for a younger audience, laying out basic knowledge with a combination of breezy questions and answers punctuated by boxed asides, quotations, or biographical sketches. He also includes lighthearted pop quizzes along the lines of: "The Amazon River gets its name from a group of legendary Greek: a) warriors b) Internet companies c) river boats d) water gods." In Planet Earth he discusses the physical and political geography of each continent, scattering memorable facts and (usually) clever jokes throughout ("How are deserts like desserts?" "Deserts, like apple pie, can be served hot or cold"). In Space he takes on stars, the solar system, the history and structure of the universe, space exploration, black holes, dark matter, the search for life on other planets, and more. Bloom's cartoon drawings add further humorous notes to Planet Earth, but it lacks some much-needed maps; in Space, Ruzzier's somewhat more sophisticated but still decorative art is supplemented by several photos and photo-realist paintings. Few readers will come away from these books without having been amazed or amused, but considering the array of more systematic, better-illustrated books available on the topics, they are supplementary purchases at best.
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0064408353
• ISBN 13: 9780064408356
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Ruzzier Sergio
• Number of pages: 144