Today's read... Wonders of the Night Sky by Professor Raman Prinja

Today's read is one my youngest son would have loved to have in his younger years. (He grabbed it off the kitchen table and said that...so I know it's true). I'm always on the hunt for non-fiction reads for younger readers

WONDERS OF THE NIGHT SKY

Astronomy Starts with Just Looking Up

by Professor Raman Prinja

Illustrated by Jan Bielecki

Aladdin

Middle Grade Non-Fiction

64 pages

ages 8 to 12

Astronomy starts with just looking up in this luminously illustrated nonfiction middle grade guide to the spectacular treasures of the night sky from an award-winning physicist and astronomer.

For millennia, curious people have looked to the sky and wanted to understand the wonders that appeared. Readers can connect to the many parts of our universe visible to the naked eye and make inspiring connections to the science behind the stellar backdrop with this well-researched book that gives a definitive look at the marvels above us with accessible facts and dazzling illustrations.

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MY TIDBITS

Gazing into the stars gains meaning and depth as these pages dive into the facts of space and beyond.

This is a well-rounded look at not only the constellations found in the night sky but explains about the stars, galaxies an other aspects of space surrounding them. Starting with tips about star-gazing, the book then gives a brief explanation of the type of stars before heading into the constellations. These concentrate on some of the more known ones (both northern and southern hemisphere) and goes into a bit of depth about the special aspects surrounding each one. The following chapters then give information about planets, moons, meteors, comets, auroras, satellites, galaxies and more. So, there's quite a bit of aspects covered.

I enjoyed to see how clearly the information is brought across, while still remaining interesting. The author never talks down to the reader and never allows a monotone, teaching atmosphere to develop. The information is brought across naturally and adds in little hints on how readers can observe certain aspects themselves. Each page holds short explanations or information broken down around fitting illustrations. Gazing here and there at the different topics allows the eyes to explore and keeps droning info-blocks away. It invites readers to flip through as desired and concentrate on whatever themes interest them the most...and come back later to explore others. The index and glossary at the end of the book also offers assistance in finding certain topics.

The illustrations are well done and work with the text hand-in-hand. Not only do these make details and information understandable, but the colors and artistic style invite in and add a lovely touch of atmosphere. There's also an easy activity at the end of the book, which explores orbits.

This is a very well-done read about stars, space, and more for the middle grade audience. I do see this one not only be of interest to space fans but also useful for homeschoolers or even school libraries.

And here they are...

Professor Raman Prinja, Departmental Head of Physics and Astronomy at University College London (UCL), is a preeminent astronomer as well as being a passionate advocate for outreach to children of all backgrounds to invite them into the fold of astronomy. He is an inspiring figure for children around the world, and his passion for astrophysics is infectious. His expertise is internationally admired, and he loves to spread the joy of learning through events and community engagement.

Jan Bielecki is a Polish Swedish illustrator and designer living in London. He mainly works with children’s books and has illustrated fiction, picture books, and nonfiction. Some of the topics he has covered include the human anatomy, wrestling trolls, the scope of the universe, and slimy monsters. He illustrated and designed Stephen and Lucy Hawking’s Unlocking the Universe, as well as many of the most exciting covers put out by Puffin UK in recent years.