Reviewed by Jacqueline Pfeiffer
3rd Grade Teacher
What are quasars? What is a black hole? How do they form? How can we see them? Why are they so far away? These and many other questions as answered this book, one of six in the Explore Outer Space series.
Each volume attempts to explain tough topics in astronomy that baffle teachers all the time such as solar and lunar eclipses, galaxies, nebulae, quasars, asteroids and the asteroid belt, and supernovas. Young, would–be astronomers need a good science background to understand these topics. With great pictures, photographs, and illustrations, these books fill in that background and explain those tough topics to children (and also help teachers understand those topics). Each book has an interest level appropriate to grades 3 through 6, with a reading level at grades 2–3. Many of the vocabulary words, which are defined in the glossary in the back of the book, would be challenging to most students unless they had a great interest in the topic. The webpage provided was not activated at the time of this review.
Interspersed on every other page are sidebars featuring a “That’s Out of This World” fact. For example, the black hole at the center of a quasar can swallow the equivalent of 600 Earths every minute. Our Sun is just one of nearly 400 billion stars that make up our Milky Way galaxy. Black holes are invisible because no light can pass.
This is a great book for space enthusiasts and the photos would draw even reluctant readers in to read the book. I highly recommend the series.
Review posted on 1/4/2013
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