This brief history of time and the instruments used to record it begins with the ancient Babylonians and moves forward to more sophisticated devices. Touching on sundials of ancient Egypt, the Heavenly Clockworks of ancient China, and water clocks of the Dark Ages, it concludes with a fascinating discussion on the development of the clock. The text is at times difficult; for example, the careful but complicated description of the verge escapement, anchor escapement, and level escapement will leave most readers behind. But the author tells a good story, weaving in history, invention, and important personalities like Galileo and Huygens, as well as the lesser known—such as John Harrison, inventor of the chronometric clock. This is the first in the Turning Point Inventions series, which “focus on the important inventions we often take for granted.” Historical photographs are used throughout; they are a handsome, excellent addition to the text. The glossy paper and broad white borders make this an attractive work, though picture captions and index are set in a pale gray Futura type so small that a magnifying lens would be helpful. A promising debut for an elegant new series on inventions for older readers. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-689-82814-4
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2000
Remarking that ``nothing about the weather is very simple,'' Simon goes on to describe how the sun, atmosphere, earth's rotation, ground cover, altitude, pollution, and other factors influence it; briefly, he also tells how weather balloons gather information. Even for this outstanding author, it's a tough, complex topic, and he's not entirely successful in simplifying it; moreover, the import of the striking uncaptioned color photos here isn't always clear. One passage—``Cumulus clouds sometimes build up into towering masses called cumulus congestus, or swelling cumulus, which may turn into cumulonimbus clouds''—is superimposed on a blue-gray, cloud-covered landscape. But which kind of clouds are these? Another photo, in blue-black and white, shows what might be precipitation in the upper atmosphere, or rain falling on a darkened landscape, or...? Generally competent and certainly attractive, but not Simon's best. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-688-10546-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1993
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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