I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle

Children's Literature - Judy Katsh

If you like books that supply not only the answers, but the questions too, then this one is for you. Questions as simple as, "Why does the sun go out at night?" and as complex as, "Will the universe ever end?" are posed. And, on the same page, amid cartoons, drawings, and diagrams, they are answered. The answers are simply written, but they don't shy away from scientific language, difficult issues, or remaining mysteries. That, along with the table of contents and index, makes this book appropriate for both the young astronomer asking his/her first questions and the school-age report writer looking for follow-up details. 1997 (orig.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Strictly for browsing, this brief survey of the universe, in a question-and-answer format, offers no new information or insights. The average-quality illustrations combine colorful cartoons with realistic renderings based on satellite photographs; their captions contain most of the data provided. Creation of the universe, birth and death of stars, assorted facts about the planets, and odds and ends of space exploration are included. Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System (Scholastic, 1990) covers much of the same ground in a more entertaining package, while Seymour Simon's excellent series (Morrow) takes a more in-depth look at the subject.-Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA