What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Make a Planet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Earth
Young readers can follow along as two children perform an experiment in which they create a new planet, replicating in ten steps the exact processes that formed Earth. Within that context, author Scott Forbes manages to clearly explain basic concepts that span the science curriculum, including: chemistry (atoms, protons, neutrons, elements), physics (gravity), astronomy (star formation, supernovas, galaxies, the Milky Way, black holes), earth science (temperature, atmosphere, the water cycle, surface plates and how they've changed) and biology (cells, single-celled organisms, evolution, extinction). Personal asides and exclamations about what the children are experiencing, along with lively and fun color illustrations by Jean Camden throughout, bring energy to the text and keep the story moving. There are helpful sidebars in each chapter that highlight or expand upon the nearby concepts. Reference tools include two easy-to-understand time lines, including one that covers the history of planet Earth from the Big Bang to today, with time going forward on one side to show how long after the Big Bang an event occurred, and time going backward on the other to show how many years ago it happened. This concept is reinforced in every chapter with a "Time Check" box containing bulleted information that describes what's happening. Further rounding out this comprehensive book are an Amazing Facts page, a glossary and an index. With the current emphasis on teaching literacy across all subject areas, this book, with its use of a narrative story to explore scientific ideas, would make an excellent resource for science teachers.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 5, 2015
Title: How to Make a Planet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Earth
Author: Scott Forbes
Illustrator: Jean Camden
Genre: How-to-Book
Theme(s): Science, informational, non-fiction
Opening line/sentence: “Okay! What’s the best way to understand something complex or technical?”
Brief Book Summary: This how-to, non-fictional book, takes the readers through 13.7 billion years of the making of our planet. In this text, the author explains many different concepts relating to the creation of the planets, along with different facts! It is an exciting book for multiple age groups that will teach its readers.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly02/03/2014 Forbes offers a faux guide to creating a planet, with the second-person narration letting readers know exactly what they’ll need, starting with “a really, really Big Bang” (“it has to be so strong that it will go on for billions of billions of years,” he adds helpfully). Through this frame, Forbes enthusiastically describes the formation of atmosphere around Earth, followed by oceans, and the first stirrings of life: “the bacteria were primitive and nothing much to look at (even through a microscope), but they were alive!” It’s an expansive topic, but tightly narrated paragraphs, lighthearted humor, and Camden’s cartoon illustrations (including a boy in a red T-shirt who stands in for readers) keep it within reach. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal 04/01/2014 Gr 5–8—Forbes has penned a personalized and simplified process of creating the Earth in 10 steps, advising readers who wish to create a planet to "Begin with a Bang!" (which details the big bang theory), "Add a Little Atmosphere" (a look at gases, rain, and meteorites), and "Shift and Shape" (a discussion of the Earth's crust), ending with tips on how each of us can protect our planet. A page of "Amazing Facts," a three-page glossary, and an index make this book a helpful resource. Distance is given in kilometers first, followed by miles in parentheses, and temperature is given in Celsius, followed by Fahrenheit. The author expects readers to have a certain body of knowledge (for example, kilometers, miles, Celsius, and Fahrenheit are not explained in the glossary or indexed). Budding scientists will appreciate this offering, and those who may not be initially interested will still be captivated by the book's approachable explanations. Information is presented in bite-size bits, with cartoonish illustrations, which should make for fun browsing. The approach and title may be quirky, but this is a solid nonfiction resource for libraries.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: The reviews describe this book as a quirky, and enthusiastic book describing how the planets are made. They said that the humor keeps the topic in reach of children, and that it is a solid nonfiction resource for libraries. I agree with these reviews, as when I read it, I could definitely sense the humor and it kept me engaged throughout the book. I also really liked how the reviews praised the lightheartedness and cartoons, as I agree it definitely adds to the book.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book has a great deal of colors and visuals that would greatly appeal to children. I think that the organization of the book is also something that adds to its effectiveness as a book and guide. There are little blurbs on each page and different things on different sections. In addition, there is a great deal of thought bubble use, as well as different fonts to draw in the readers.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this would be a useful book to utilize during a science or space unit. It would be useful to read in sections with a whole-group set-up or in groups. I think that this would supplement lessons in a variety of ways, as there are so many different sections with different steps or subjects of the topic. Overall, I think this would greatly appeal to children and be a very useful tool in the classroom! ;
Author: Scott Forbes
Illustrator: Jean Camden
Genre: How-to-Book
Theme(s): Science, informational, non-fiction
Opening line/sentence: “Okay! What’s the best way to understand something complex or technical?”
Brief Book Summary: This how-to, non-fictional book, takes the readers through 13.7 billion years of the making of our planet. In this text, the author explains many different concepts relating to the creation of the planets, along with different facts! It is an exciting book for multiple age groups that will teach its readers.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly02/03/2014 Forbes offers a faux guide to creating a planet, with the second-person narration letting readers know exactly what they’ll need, starting with “a really, really Big Bang” (“it has to be so strong that it will go on for billions of billions of years,” he adds helpfully). Through this frame, Forbes enthusiastically describes the formation of atmosphere around Earth, followed by oceans, and the first stirrings of life: “the bacteria were primitive and nothing much to look at (even through a microscope), but they were alive!” It’s an expansive topic, but tightly narrated paragraphs, lighthearted humor, and Camden’s cartoon illustrations (including a boy in a red T-shirt who stands in for readers) keep it within reach. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal 04/01/2014 Gr 5–8—Forbes has penned a personalized and simplified process of creating the Earth in 10 steps, advising readers who wish to create a planet to "Begin with a Bang!" (which details the big bang theory), "Add a Little Atmosphere" (a look at gases, rain, and meteorites), and "Shift and Shape" (a discussion of the Earth's crust), ending with tips on how each of us can protect our planet. A page of "Amazing Facts," a three-page glossary, and an index make this book a helpful resource. Distance is given in kilometers first, followed by miles in parentheses, and temperature is given in Celsius, followed by Fahrenheit. The author expects readers to have a certain body of knowledge (for example, kilometers, miles, Celsius, and Fahrenheit are not explained in the glossary or indexed). Budding scientists will appreciate this offering, and those who may not be initially interested will still be captivated by the book's approachable explanations. Information is presented in bite-size bits, with cartoonish illustrations, which should make for fun browsing. The approach and title may be quirky, but this is a solid nonfiction resource for libraries.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: The reviews describe this book as a quirky, and enthusiastic book describing how the planets are made. They said that the humor keeps the topic in reach of children, and that it is a solid nonfiction resource for libraries. I agree with these reviews, as when I read it, I could definitely sense the humor and it kept me engaged throughout the book. I also really liked how the reviews praised the lightheartedness and cartoons, as I agree it definitely adds to the book.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book has a great deal of colors and visuals that would greatly appeal to children. I think that the organization of the book is also something that adds to its effectiveness as a book and guide. There are little blurbs on each page and different things on different sections. In addition, there is a great deal of thought bubble use, as well as different fonts to draw in the readers.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this would be a useful book to utilize during a science or space unit. It would be useful to read in sections with a whole-group set-up or in groups. I think that this would supplement lessons in a variety of ways, as there are so many different sections with different steps or subjects of the topic. Overall, I think this would greatly appeal to children and be a very useful tool in the classroom! ;
April 18, 2014
How To Make a Planet: A Step-By-Step Guide to Building the Earth by Scott Forbes is a book that describes the scientific theories of how the earth was formed. The book does a great job of talking the details of how our planet was formed with the basic building blocks of protons and neutrons and became the life sustaining place where we were all born. Forbes does a wonderful job of taking huge and abstract idea understandable.
How to Make a Planet begins with a timeline that easily shows how little time we have spent on our planet, and how long it took to get Earth to how it looks today. The books goes step by step through the history of our planet, and offers time checks through the book to show where each event of change took place in the larger scheme of things. The pictures and graphics are wonderful, and are worth exploring in their own right, even as they help drive home the information. Information about weather, the water cycle, the atmosphere, and more are included in the book, which I find helps readers of all ages to see how interdependent the aspects of our world are, and how easy it would be to destroy out planet my ignoring the effects we can have on it.
I would highly recommend How to Make a Planet for middle grade students as well as libraries, The book would be a great resource in science classes and for homeschooling, since it offers well organized information in a way that inspires awe and further exploration.
How to Make a Planet begins with a timeline that easily shows how little time we have spent on our planet, and how long it took to get Earth to how it looks today. The books goes step by step through the history of our planet, and offers time checks through the book to show where each event of change took place in the larger scheme of things. The pictures and graphics are wonderful, and are worth exploring in their own right, even as they help drive home the information. Information about weather, the water cycle, the atmosphere, and more are included in the book, which I find helps readers of all ages to see how interdependent the aspects of our world are, and how easy it would be to destroy out planet my ignoring the effects we can have on it.
I would highly recommend How to Make a Planet for middle grade students as well as libraries, The book would be a great resource in science classes and for homeschooling, since it offers well organized information in a way that inspires awe and further exploration.
July 23, 2016
The story starts out with a timeline leading up to present day Earth and continues with a discussion on how universe was formed. The book takes you step by step through the process of how the universe was form in very kid-friendly (and adult) language.
The illustrations are wonderful. They will definitely appeal to the upper elementary crowd. When we do our Earth and Space Science unit, my students are always asking me questions (more so than they usually do in science) because they find it so fascinating. I often find myself lacking in the knowledge to answer some of the questions they ask me (what exactly is a black whole?) The information in this book will allow me to explain it much better.
All through the book they have a "time check" which allow the reader to see where they are in the creation of the universe. I definitely think this would help my students to understand how long it actually took for our universe to form.
Other topics included are: seasons, composition of Earth, the atmosphere, water cycle, Pangea, and how to care for out planet.
I loved this book. The information contained in it will definitely be making its way into my science lessons. The illustrations were a delight and added to the overall package of the book.
This is definitely a book I will be adding to my bookshelf!
The illustrations are wonderful. They will definitely appeal to the upper elementary crowd. When we do our Earth and Space Science unit, my students are always asking me questions (more so than they usually do in science) because they find it so fascinating. I often find myself lacking in the knowledge to answer some of the questions they ask me (what exactly is a black whole?) The information in this book will allow me to explain it much better.
All through the book they have a "time check" which allow the reader to see where they are in the creation of the universe. I definitely think this would help my students to understand how long it actually took for our universe to form.
Other topics included are: seasons, composition of Earth, the atmosphere, water cycle, Pangea, and how to care for out planet.
I loved this book. The information contained in it will definitely be making its way into my science lessons. The illustrations were a delight and added to the overall package of the book.
This is definitely a book I will be adding to my bookshelf!
December 20, 2014
One effective way to learn about something is to fix it or make it yourself. This book puts the reader in the position of being the maker of earth in ten easy steps. I purposely did not say 'creator' as that may give the idea of being God, who, in a number of people's belief, made the earth, and that is another entire topic not touched on here!
The chapters are a timeline in themselves, which works well. Chapter 9 reviews the timeline and puts it into perspective by comparing it to a year, squishing all the events into a calendar. The author attempts to reach different learning styles by describing this in text, and with a diagram of a year. However, the diagram is out of proportion, so it takes careful examination to realize that the second two-thirds of the diagram is only one month, and the last third only represents the last 10 minutes of December 31. Confused? So is the timeline! Yet, it did catch my attention that Columbus reaches this hemisphere (not "America" as stated in the text!) about a second before midnight. But I wonder if youngsters could comprehend all that!
The illustrations are a combination of "blue & white' images and full-colored images of a youngster on this quest to make the earth. Students will need to understand that some of the pictures are not part of that era of the earth's history, such as a clock when talking about the first second of time.
The chapters are a timeline in themselves, which works well. Chapter 9 reviews the timeline and puts it into perspective by comparing it to a year, squishing all the events into a calendar. The author attempts to reach different learning styles by describing this in text, and with a diagram of a year. However, the diagram is out of proportion, so it takes careful examination to realize that the second two-thirds of the diagram is only one month, and the last third only represents the last 10 minutes of December 31. Confused? So is the timeline! Yet, it did catch my attention that Columbus reaches this hemisphere (not "America" as stated in the text!) about a second before midnight. But I wonder if youngsters could comprehend all that!
The illustrations are a combination of "blue & white' images and full-colored images of a youngster on this quest to make the earth. Students will need to understand that some of the pictures are not part of that era of the earth's history, such as a clock when talking about the first second of time.
September 2, 2016
My son and I enjoyed this book more than once. It's written well with a wealth of information, but done in a way that makes reading and learning about more than just Earth FUN. The drawings are cute and add to the enjoyment. My son laughed a few times and has asked for a physical copy to take to school and share with his teacher and classmates. I actually enjoyed reading along with him. Several extra facts are provided in fun imaginative ways. This is definitely one I'd recommend for home and school libraries, as well as regular libraries. This also makes a great gift. I received an evaluation copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion and review. In no way has this influenced our opinion. Read more reviews, author interviews and enter giveaways on my blog.
March 4, 2014
This is the first time I've seen the history of our planet explained in so much detail and yet totally accessible to children. It was so packed with information, I plan to go through it again.
Keeping the content proportional to the real timeline of our planet's development, there were very few pages devoted to life on Earth. I would love to see another book covering this information.
Will definitely be purchasing this book for our classroom and our school's library.
Keeping the content proportional to the real timeline of our planet's development, there were very few pages devoted to life on Earth. I would love to see another book covering this information.
Will definitely be purchasing this book for our classroom and our school's library.
August 25, 2014
How to Make a Planet is a thorough explanation of our Earth and galaxy's formation. Fun and informative at the same time. Some of the analogies were particularly good at conveying time and/or size. The perfect book for a child enjoying the revived Cosmos series. The longer, wordier format makes this a good choice for 4th grade and up.
October 30, 2014
I loved this book! I enjoyed how the author made it as though the reader was creating a planet from scratch. Very readable and fun. The author did a good job in breaking up the multitude of topics so a child would not become overwhelmed with the information. The illustrations were great, too--very colorful and playful. I may have to check this one out again when Claudia is older.
August 3, 2014
Good lord, could this author make this book any more difficult to comprehend? Even the illustrations were discombobulated and difficult to follow. Very complex science lessons and vocabulary that I don't even think I learned in my grade school years. Thumbs down!!
February 25, 2014
The format and layout of this book should be very attractive to it's middle-grade/middle school audience.
March 31, 2014
For kids interested in planets, great facts and information.
Read
April 19, 2014bright pictures. index. glossary. amazing facts.
August 30, 2014
What a fun way to learn about Earth. The illustrations are eye-catching and the text is very reader-friendly. The format is very accessible and the young reader will learn a lot.
July 29, 2014
great non-fiction addition to any collection
September 5, 2014
This book overwhelmed me a bit. Lots of information, time to keep track of. I think kids will enjoy it though.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews