In this Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science entry, Branley (see review, above) takes readers on a space shuttle mission, from blast-off to touchdown, but focusing mainly on life in orbit. As he points out, ``zero gravity'' is a misnomer—but only barely; so negligible is gravitational pull that astronauts temporarily grow an inch or so as their joints relax, are able to stand on the walls and ceiling, have to learn new ways to eat, sleep, and use the toilet, and must be very careful about stowing small objects before re-entry. In Kelley's cheerful watercolors, smiling space travelers—including one woman—bounce around the shuttle's cabin and suit up for extra vehicular tasks while back on Earth, a young girl eagerly tracks the flight on television. While in the claim that heavy equipment—even the 12-ton Hubble telescope—can be lifted in space, Branley oversimplifies the effects of inertia and momentum, his choice of detail about conditions in space will surprise and delight readers. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Feb. 28, 1998
ISBN: 0-06-025432-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The Pumpkin Book (32 pp.; $16.95; Sept. 15; 0-8234-1465-5): From seed to vine and blossom to table, Gibbons traces the growth cycle of everyone’s favorite autumn symbol—the pumpkin. Meticulous drawings detail the transformation of tiny seeds to the colorful gourds that appear at roadside stands and stores in the fall. Directions for planting a pumpkin patch, carving a jack-o’-lantern, and drying the seeds give young gardeners the instructions they need to grow and enjoy their own golden globes. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1465-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201835-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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