Can You Find a Planet? (A Question of Science)

Discusses in question and answer format the planets in our solar system and explains which planets and stars can be seen from Earth in the night sky

Grade 1-3-- Both entries match a brief question-and-answer text to full-page illustrations that combine Bruce Degen-like cartoon figures and scenes with, or superimposed on, color-enhanced photographs. In Planet , although some of the answers take off in pleasantly unexpected directions (``Then, is a planet as bright as a star?'' launches a discussion of planetary colors), they are fearfully simplified or incomplete (four of Jupiter's moons are shown but not mentioned, and readers are given no idea at all of planetary distances or the general shape of the solar system). Although aimed at somewhat older readers, Seymour Simon's planet books are more detailed and systematic. Star is a much more accurate and thorough work. Rosen discusses the speed of light and stellar distances in some detail for a book at this easy level, as well as relative brightness, stellar life cycles, supernovas, and black holes. There is some careless phrasing; the Sun is much more than 100 times larger than the Earth, and to say that ``pictures of the other planets'' show that ``nothing can live there'' is questionable. Lindberg's illustrations, which feature a small group of children, adults, and a dog zooming through air and space, add more humor than information. Still, the book provides a good answer to the rather narrow title question, with a rapid survey of some other topics .
-John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.