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Book cover of Maria's Comet
Fiction - Historical People, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous

Maria's Comet

by Deborah Hopkinson, Deborah Lanino
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Overview


Maria's wish burns as brightly as a star.

Maria longs to be an astronomer and imagines all the strange worlds she can travel to by looking though her papa's telescope. One night Maria gets her chance to look through the telescope. For the first time, she sees the night sky stretching endlessly above her, and her dream of exploring constellations seems close enough to touch.

In this story, inspired by the life of Maria Mitchell, America's first woman astronomer, "viewers will find the cobalt-blue nights, lit with constellations that make imaginary (and actual) pictures in the sky, every bit as attractive as Maria does."

As a young girl, budding astronomer Maria Mitchell dreams of searching the night sky and some day finding a new comet.

Synopsis

Maria's wish burns as brightly as a star.

Maria longs to be an astronomer and imagines all the strange worlds she can travel to by looking though her papa's telescope. One night Maria gets her chance to look through the telescope. For the first time, she sees the night sky stretching endlessly above her, and her dream of exploring constellations seems close enough to touch.

In this story, inspired by the life of Maria Mitchell, America's first woman astronomer, "viewers will find the cobalt-blue nights, lit with constellations that make imaginary (and actual) pictures in the sky, every bit as attractive as Maria does."

Publishers Weekly

"This poetic picture book imagines the childhood of Maria Mitchell, American's first woman astronomer, and will likely ignite further interest in its passionate protagonist," wrote PW. "The artist closes the distance between earth and stars with warmth and softness." Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

About the Author, Deborah Hopkinson


Deborah Hopkinson is the author of numerous award-winning children's books, including Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, winner of the International Reading Association Award, Girl Wonder, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award, and Apples to Oregon, a Junior Library Guild Selection. She received the 2003 Washington State Book Award for Under the Quilt for the Night. She lives in Oregon. Visit her on the Web at www.deborahhopkinson.com.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

"This poetic picture book imagines the childhood of Maria Mitchell, American's first woman astronomer, and will likely ignite further interest in its passionate protagonist," wrote PW. "The artist closes the distance between earth and stars with warmth and softness." Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

Kirkus Reviews

From Hopkinson (Birdie's Lighthouse, 1997, etc.) comes another strong, simply told story, based loosely on the life of 19th-century astronomer Maria Mitchell, about a girl with a particular kind of wanderlust. Maria narrates as she helps her mother with her eight siblings, tends to the fire, mends clothing, tells stories. Her heart, however, is on the roof with Papa, as he sweeps the sky with his telescope. When brother Andrew runs away to sea, Maria asks to take his place at her father's side. Hopkinson includes deft references to Galileo and Copernicus, and to the planets, comets, and constellations known at the time, in language that is occasionally poetic. The loose brushwork of the acrylic paintings creates a lovely contrast between the bright heavenly bodies and the deep blue sky. The stylized domestic scenes echo the flat planes of early American portraits as they play against the wide sweep of night. Pair this with Don Brown's Rare Treasure (p. 1223), about Mary Anning and her fossils. (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

Book Details

Published
January 1, 2003
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages
32
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780689856785

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