In this very thinly disguised science lesson, a pair of freckle-faced, entirely wholesome-looking young detectives take on two cases at once: finding the Mayor’s missing Pekingese, and joining the hunt for the elusive “dark matter” that scientists posit to explain the universe’s large-scale gravitational behavior. Focusing mainly on the latter, Stella and her little brother Max start at a (books-only) library, then peer through a telescope, snoop around researcher Bella Black’s lab and finally join her in an underground detection facility. In the course of all this, they (and readers) learn about MACHOs (MAssive Compact Halo Objects), WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) and how these enigmatic phenomena were discovered. The dog shows up at the end (sharp-eyed observers will have already spotted it, as it’s been following them around since nearly the beginning), so one case, at least, winds up closed. For readers inclined to carry on with the more cosmic one, Latta ends her story/lecture with a recap and a pair of well-chosen websites. Despite the superfluous plotline, this wins high marks for its clear, specific introduction to one of modern astronomy’s great puzzles. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-57091-883-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2005
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.
An introduction to gravity.
The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: April 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781668936849
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
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
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