The Planets

October 1, 1993
K-Gr 2-Gibbons uses brief declarative sentences to describe the sun and each planet of the solar system in succession, introducing concepts such as a day, a year, orbit, and rotation. Her paintings sometimes tread the edge of oversimplicity; in a demonstration of day and night, there is almost no contrast between the planet's light and dark sides, and though she mentions in the text that Pluto is currently closer to the sun than Neptune, their orbits do not cross in the illustrations. Still, the bright colors, simplified shapes, and spacious, uncomplicated page design make this an inviting gateway to the subject. The book closes with an introduction to astronomy, creating a natural transition to the author's Stargazers (Holiday, 1992).-John Peters, New York Public Library

December 15, 1993
Ages 5-8. Similar in format to her other books, this is Gibbons' introduction to the planets. Well designed and laid out, the pages feature appealing full-color illustrations of stargazers, astronomers, the solar system, and individual planets. Less satisfying is the accompanying text, which lacks focus and clarity. Still, given the popularity of Gibbons' work with teachers and kids and the growing demand for beginning books on astronomy, many libraries will find this a useful purchase. ((Reviewed Dec. 15, 1993))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1993, American Library Association.)

January 1, 1993
Gibbons eloquently introduces young readers to the basic concepts of planetary motion and then presents intriguing information about each planet in such a fashion that the facts become more than mere numbers. The illustrations are both inviting and scientifically rigorous. The final page contains nine additional fascinating observations about our solar system.

(Copyright 1993 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2008
This third edition of Gibbons's book includes much information discovered since its first publication (e.g., Pluto's reclassification as a dwarf planet and the fact that scientists now believe that there was once water on Mars). The volume, illustrated with inviting art, is a useful, interesting, and clear resource for young astronomers.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2008
Gr 1-3-In an inexcusably superficial update of the 2005 edition, Gibbons revises her text minimally and leaves the art untouched. Along with leaving her mention of the 2004 Mars Exploration Rover Mission still illustrated only with a view of a '70s-era Viking Lander, she lets Pluto continue to sail along the peripheries of the planetary mapsin an incorrect orbit to bootand gives it an entire spread. Furthermore, though she properly notes that Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet, Ceres, which was upgraded at the same time to the same status, gets nary a mention. Despite some intriguing facts ("On Venus, a day is longer than a year, and a year is shorter than a day") and that familiar, instantly recognizable look, this outing has less to offer fledgling readers than such other recent tours as Seymour Simon's "Our Solar System" (HarperCollins, 2007)."John Peters, New York Public Library"

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