How to Make a Planet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Earth

Young readers can follow along as two children perform an experiment in which they create a new planet, replicating in ten steps the exact processes that formed Earth. Within that context, author Scott Forbes manages to clearly explain basic concepts that span the science curriculum, including: chemistry (atoms, protons, neutrons, elements), physics (gravity), astronomy (star formation, supernovas, galaxies, the Milky Way, black holes), earth science (temperature, atmosphere, the water cycle, surface plates and how they've changed) and biology (cells, single-celled organisms, evolution, extinction). Personal asides and exclamations about what the children are experiencing, along with lively and fun color illustrations by Jean Camden throughout, bring energy to the text and keep the story moving. There are helpful sidebars in each chapter that highlight or expand upon the nearby concepts. Reference tools include two easy-to-understand time lines, including one that covers the history of planet Earth from the Big Bang to today, with time going forward on one side to show how long after the Big Bang an event occurred, and time going backward on the other to show how many years ago it happened. This concept is reinforced in every chapter with a "Time Check" box containing bulleted information that describes what's happening. Further rounding out this comprehensive book are an Amazing Facts page, a glossary and an index. With the current emphasis on teaching literacy across all subject areas, this book, with its use of a narrative story to explore scientific ideas, would make an excellent resource for science teachers.

Gr 5–8—Forbes has penned a personalized and simplified process of creating the Earth in 10 steps, advising readers who wish to create a planet to "Begin with a Bang!" (which details the big bang theory), "Add a Little Atmosphere" (a look at gases, rain, and meteorites), and "Shift and Shape" (a discussion of the Earth's crust), ending with tips on how each of us can protect our planet. A page of "Amazing Facts," a three-page glossary, and an index make this book a helpful resource. Distance is given in kilometers first, followed by miles in parentheses, and temperature is given in Celsius, followed by Fahrenheit. The author expects readers to have a certain body of knowledge (for example, kilometers, miles, Celsius, and Fahrenheit are not explained in the glossary or indexed). Budding scientists will appreciate this offering, and those who may not be initially interested will still be captivated by the book's approachable explanations. Information is presented in bite-size bits, with cartoonish illustrations, which should make for fun browsing. The approach and title may be quirky, but this is a solid nonfiction resource for libraries.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

Operating with the notion that the best way to understand complex scientific systems is to break them down to their simplest form, Forbes takes on the seemingly impossible task of explaining the natural history of Earth—from the big bang to modern times—in a slim and understandable kids’ book. Styled as a how-to manual, the book starts with a time line that begins 13.7 billion years ago and includes benchmarks such as the formation of planet systems, the development of Earth’s atmosphere, and the appearance of multicellular life-forms. In just 10 simple steps, readers learn how Earth formed as a sphere, developed landmasses, and became capable of supporting life. Camden’s digital illustrations are appealing and energetic, and constant callbacks to the introductory time line facilitate the understanding of complex facts on geology, biology, and astronomy. Forbes inspires a conservationist mind-set and manages to be accessible and fun—a feat given the body of material he tackles. Grades 3-6. --Erin Anderson