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41st out of 137 books
—
674 voters
A Black Hole Is Not a Hole
Aspiring astronomers can learn what black holes are, what causes them, how scientists first discovered them and more, in an informative science book that includes space paintings, real telescopic images, funny doodles and speech bubbles.
Hardcover, 80 pages
Published
February 1st 2012
by Charlesbridge Publishing
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So there's a clear trend in some of these complex topics toward the illustrated book, rather than the picturebook format. This is the former. Copious illustrations are fully complementary or corresponding to the text, with each picture intended to be an example of something discussed in the text. This is an interesting convention, because in 21st century literacy, we should be expecting to see the arrow turn the other way --shifting to the visual being the primary 'text' to read. It's more likel...more
Not many writers can make astrophysics interesting. I've actually come across two articles on black holes in one week. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2011 was the first, and to be honest, quite a bit of it whooshed over my head. I wished I had read this book first, I would have appreciated the other more, or at least understood what a singularity means in the world of black holes. The simplicity at which the author presents the material and then builds to more complex ideas is what...more
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
This was the mantra of an entire generation who looked to the stars as the next great adventure and discovery. The space race has died down a little bit, but we will never stop wondering what secrets are hidden out there beyond our atmosphere.
One of those secrets of space is the b...more
This was the mantra of an entire generation who looked to the stars as the next great adventure and discovery. The space race has died down a little bit, but we will never stop wondering what secrets are hidden out there beyond our atmosphere.
One of those secrets of space is the b...more
From an informational stand point, by far the strongest text I've come across. Possibly ever. This book should be held up as the example for just how significant a role text formatting can enhance a non-fiction reading experience. The main passages on each page are as stylistically potent as the information it contains. This is quite the abstract topic matter, astrophysics. So, how do you make that accessible to a young audience? By connecting and relating to more concrete concepts. Each passage...more
Did I just read, learn, and understand Einstein's theory of relativity from a children's book? Why yes, yes I did. Why can't college textbooks be like this? I may have been a physics major if learning had been this much fun.
FYI for parents out there concerned about the new Common Core Standards increased requirements for nonfiction in the classroom? If this book is any indication - kids are probably in for a treat.
(age range 10ish give or take, but obvs good for adults, too)
FYI for parents out there concerned about the new Common Core Standards increased requirements for nonfiction in the classroom? If this book is any indication - kids are probably in for a treat.
(age range 10ish give or take, but obvs good for adults, too)
Oct 15, 2012
Lady Lioness
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
genre-children-s-nonfiction,
read-october-2012
Found via the Stars so Far list.
I have long been an advocate of reading children's nonfiction books if an adult wants an introductory exploration of a topic. I learned a great deal from A Black Hole is Not a Hole and, indeed, it came perilously close to breaking my brain at one point. I took comfort from the box inset on page 57 and decided I would just stick with Newton's laws & let people smarter than I deal with Einstein's.
Not only is there a time line, glossary, and suggested additiona...more
I have long been an advocate of reading children's nonfiction books if an adult wants an introductory exploration of a topic. I learned a great deal from A Black Hole is Not a Hole and, indeed, it came perilously close to breaking my brain at one point. I took comfort from the box inset on page 57 and decided I would just stick with Newton's laws & let people smarter than I deal with Einstein's.
Not only is there a time line, glossary, and suggested additiona...more
Wow! I wish there were such interesting informational texts around when I was in elementary school. DeCristofano marries deep concepts (a black hole, for instance!) with such friendly analogies as this: (not a direct quote) "Imaging you are playing hide-and-seek and suddenly you find a whole group of people you didn't even know were playing the game. That's how scientists felt when they discovered black holes."
She gives a solid introduction to the history of the science behind black holes (incl...more
She gives a solid introduction to the history of the science behind black holes (incl...more
It's not the only -- or even the primary -- criterion that I use when evaluating children's books, but I get a special thrill when I see a book and think "You know, I would really have enjoyed this book as a child." A Black Hole Is Not a Hole gave me that feeling, reminding me of the first time I picked up Our Universe or The Cartoon Guide to Physics, a pair of books that loom large in my memories of growing up.
Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano's book does an excellent job of taking a difficult conce...more
Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano's book does an excellent job of taking a difficult conce...more
Richie’s Picks: A BLACK HOLE IS NOT A HOLE by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano and Michael Carroll, ill., Charlesbridge, February 2012, 80p., ISBN: 978-1-57091-783-7
“Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find”
-- Kilbey/Jansson, “Under the Milky Way”
“A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally. If you could somehow take a close-up picture of a black hole, it wouldn’t be one for the scrapbook. It would just be blank…and black.
“The blackness of black holes is peculiar: a...more
“Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find”
-- Kilbey/Jansson, “Under the Milky Way”
“A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally. If you could somehow take a close-up picture of a black hole, it wouldn’t be one for the scrapbook. It would just be blank…and black.
“The blackness of black holes is peculiar: a...more
As posted on Outside of a Dog:
Past elementary school, when you could do silly things for your science fair and still get a ribbon, I was never much into science (outside of the occasional science fiction). My brother was the science fan in the family, and I just know that if he was eleven years old, he would love A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano.
If a Black Hole is not a hole, then what is it, exactly? DeCristofano attempts to explain this conundrum to kids in this very...more
Past elementary school, when you could do silly things for your science fair and still get a ribbon, I was never much into science (outside of the occasional science fiction). My brother was the science fan in the family, and I just know that if he was eleven years old, he would love A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano.
If a Black Hole is not a hole, then what is it, exactly? DeCristofano attempts to explain this conundrum to kids in this very...more
Aside from those with an extreme interest in astronomy, most people fall into the category who consider the science of the sun, moon, planets, stars and the surrounding universe mildly interesting, if often overwhelming. That is what makes A Black Hole Is NOT a Hole all the more successful. Though it is written at a level for older children to understand, this is an excellent introduction to deep space concepts for people of all ages.
Big scientific concepts such as matter, mind-boggling distance...more
Big scientific concepts such as matter, mind-boggling distance...more
Although I didn't love this book in the way that I loved Steven Hawking's Universe: The Cosmos Explained, by David Filkin, I did appreciate how DeCristofano deeply explores black holes in simple, snappy terms. She writes directly to the reader, and in her explanations of what we know about black holes, she sidesteps absolutes, questions, reveals scientific practices, and, most notably, champions the power of "thought experiments," guiding the reader to engage in Einstein's famous pastime. The te...more
How many books about scientific concepts are funny and fun to read? Not too many, methinks. Carolyn Decristofano explains black holes via excellent analogies (a singularity is like a peanut with the mass of a trillion elephants!), thought experiments (imagine you approach the event horizon of a black hole and your foot stretches in front on you like a spaghetti noodle!), and great flow from one topic to the next (start with Newtonian gravity--that's pretty easy to get--and wait until the end to...more
My mind is officially blown. Talented non-fiction writer Carolyn Cianami Decristofano makes understanding black holes an engaging adventure. The language she chooses is engaging and comprehensible to young people and the technically challenged. I've always been fascinated by black holes and even had some theories of my own (I can still hear my brother laughing.) My attention was held from start until finish.
Usually my brain turns off when I see a number that has more than 10 decimal places. I j...more
Usually my brain turns off when I see a number that has more than 10 decimal places. I j...more
Gosh! I wish this book had been available when I was young or even when I was taking a couple of astronomy classes in college and first became interested in black holes. In engaging text and illustrations created through acrylics and Adobe Photoshop, the book uses eight chapters to introduce the rather complicated idea of black holes, which are not actually holes. Comparing a black hole to a whirlpool but without the water is a wonderfully effective and vivid way to explain one. I also liked how...more
A conversational and humorous tone makes this book not only educational but appealing to read. Carolyn DeCristofano breaks down an overwhelming subject into easy-to-digest pieces and explains what black holes are, how they form, and how we discovered them. Extensive back matter includes an AWESOME author's note that tells how she researched the book and emphasizes the fact that ongoing scientific research means that science facts change often.
Highly recommended for young scientists! Pair it wit...more
Highly recommended for young scientists! Pair it wit...more
I was surprisingly intrigued by this book about physics and black holes. The text flowed very smoothly, and the author managed to get across some very complex and complicated concepts concisely and without confusion. A child with very little background knowledge about space or black holes would be able to access all of the information here. I did feel like the book was occasionally trying a little too hard to be fun and exciting, when the material itself was interesting enough to carry the weigh...more
I read about a fourth of this book, then skimmed the rest, looking at the graphics, which are plentiful, a nice mix of text and pictures. I really enjoyed the scientific explanation of "if it looks like a duck..." Great back matter featuring a detailed time line and glossary. The author note entitled "How do you know I know" explains her research process. I am not a big astronomy or physics person and lost interest in the text, which, in spite of the approachable, conversational tone, may be mor...more
Apr 25, 2013
Becky B
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants to understand black holes & theory of relativity
Shelves:
picture-books,
juvenile-non-fiction
This is probably the best written middle grade non-fiction science book I've ever read (and I've read quite a few, I taught science for several years). Someone needs to commission Ms. DecCristofano to write a science curriculum. She does an incredible job of making science understandable. She doesn't skimp on the scientific information, but she relates it by explaining it in relateable terms people ages 10-100 can understand regardless of their background. THEN she assigns that concept its scien...more
I wish non-fiction was this good when I was a kid. And there is something to be said for adults learning from children's non-fiction. I was able to read this book cover-to-cover. Pretty good considering I never thought I was interested in black holes. That changed after reading the top seven questions you may have had about black holes on the inside cover.
So what was so great about this book? The author addresses the "hole" question of dark holes with humor and imagination right from the title....more
So what was so great about this book? The author addresses the "hole" question of dark holes with humor and imagination right from the title....more
Dec 29, 2012
Deborah
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Phoebe and Dylan, Ronna and kids
Shelves:
juvenile-non-fiction
My limited experience with black holes has been through science fiction novels, so this book dispelled many ideas I had about black holes, including how menacing they are :) DeCristofano uses accessible analogies to explain black holes and other information about astronomy that I wish I'd had when I took astronomy in college. Mostly what I gleaned from this book is how little I know about the universe we live in and how limited my scope of size and space are. Very enjoyable read.
Middle school +
Middle school +
If every science nonfiction book had a text this clear and engaging, we wouldn't be worried that we are falling behind other countries in our understanding of science. Both fascinating and very clear in explaining concrete ideas, this look at black holes will appeal to a wide age range. There is also abundant illustrative material, sidebars, charts, and other visuals that further the narrative. A must read before visiting a planetarium or science museum.
Is there anyone alive who isn’t at least a little bit curious about black holes? This excellent book about these mysterious objects explains that black holes are “not the kind you can dig in the ground or poke your finger through.” The book then answers the obvious question, “if a black hole is not a hole, then what in the universe is it?”
Please read the rest of my review, posted on my website: http://www.mariannedyson.com/reviews/...
Please read the rest of my review, posted on my website: http://www.mariannedyson.com/reviews/...
Although certain things about black holes still baffle the mind, I certainly have a better understaning of these mysterious "holes" in our universe! I la-la-LOVED the illustrations and would have been lost without them as they really helped reinforce the ideas in the text. DeCristofano does a fantastic job of making real-world comparison and analogies that make these tough concepts clearer. A must read informational text for grades 4-7!
Loved it!! I'm recently into astronomy and books like these (though written for kids/teens) have helped me as introduction as I plan to read more dense material. The language and the transition from chapter to chapter is very friendly.... And the ending is great, loved that last page. Even though science is still not a 100% on black hole knowledge, whatever is assumed to be known is exceptionally well explained here. Awesome!
TCL call # J 523.8 DeCristofano C.
Kay give this book 5 stars
I felt this book did an excellent job in explaining what black holes are, they did this with simple and complex explanations. The narrative made it an enjoyable read and the photos are outstanding.
Websites in the back of the book allow you to expand your knowledge.
I also like that the book included a glossary, which will be helpful for the readers.
Kay give this book 5 stars
I felt this book did an excellent job in explaining what black holes are, they did this with simple and complex explanations. The narrative made it an enjoyable read and the photos are outstanding.
Websites in the back of the book allow you to expand your knowledge.
I also like that the book included a glossary, which will be helpful for the readers.
EXCELLENT excellent nonfiction. The author does a GREAT job of being very clear that science is always making new discoveries, so parts of the book might not be accurate forever. All the art is clearly labeled when it is an artist's representation or when it's not drawn to scale. The content itself is brilliant; the execution is masterful. The tone is informal, but not overly chatty or condescending. My current Siebert pick.
A range of visuality in illustrations, photo, charts, graphs,etc make this informational book really engaging. The fact the book has chapters breaking informational make the book presentation is engaging not overwhelming. The side bubble commentaries is extra feature I appreciate this book. It is written with variety of discourses,, questions , examples, statements, and advisements are cool~!
A reader-friendly book that explains black holes. Text is very well done and manages to take something complex and break it down for kids to understand. Plenty of pictures highlight key concepts. Suitable for both nonfiction pleasure reading and reports. Supplemental material includes a timeline, bibliography, webliography and an author's note. Recommended for grades 4-6.
This is seventy-four pages successfully dedicated to making astrophysics accessible to young readers. The clearly stated concepts use accurate terminology explained, compared, and demonstrated effectively, addressing popular misconceptions about black holes. Difficult ideas are aided by photos, simulations, graphics, and analogies, as well as extensive back matter.
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