Destination: Jupiter

by Seymour Simon

Imagine a place where the atmospheric pressure is so great, a spaceship landing there would be crushed. A place where winds blow at speeds of over four hundred miles per hour. A place millons of miles from Earth, and completely unlike our own familiar world. On December 7, 1995, the spacecraft Galileo arrived at Jupiter, the fifth and largest planet in our Solar System, to uncover some of its mysteries. Circling around the planet, Galileo sent back to Earth dramatic new information, including breathtaking photographs of the surface of Jupiter and its moons. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon examines these and other recent discoveries about Jupiter in this completely revised and updated book. With clear text and vivid photographs, he sheds light on such mysteries as Jupiter's Great Red Spot-a super hurricane big enough to hold two planet Earths inside-and discusses the possibility that life may exist on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. Join us on a journey to this strange yet beautiful place, so unlike our planet Earth. It is a fascinating distant world we are just beginning to explore.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Picture Books, Space, Childrens, Astronomy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry if this might sound a bit harsh and judgmental on my part, but while Seymour Simon’s 1998 (and kind of updated in 2000) non fiction picture book Destination: Jupiter certainly does present an informative and sufficiently engagingly penned general introduction to the largest planet of our solar system (to Jupiter and to its four largest satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto), all embellished with and by some very spectacular accompanying photographs, and that I for one also and most certainly do much appreciate the absence of any and all instances of lame jokes and artificial humour in Simon’s featured narrative, as an actual and specific teaching and learning tool (either in a classroom setting or at home) I really and definitely do NOT think that Destination: Jupiter is to be recommended.

For one and in my humble opinion, Destination: Jupiter with its 1998/2000 publication date is pretty well majorly outdated with regard to using it for teaching today’s children (in 2021), since of course, any post 2000 discoveries and exploration voyages (such as for example the 2016 voyage to Jupiter of the NASA space probe Juno) will of course not be included, thus in my opinion rendering Destination: Jupiter rather seriously lacking with regard to the current status of Jovian research (and especially so if teachers or parents are actually planning on making use of Seymour Simon’s text, if they are considering Destination Jupiter as their main and primary book for teaching their students or their children about Jupiter).

And for two, and for me a huge and yes almost unforgivable faux pas for an entirely science and research based tome, that Seymour Simon has NOT included a bibliography and suggestions for further reading and study, this really does make Destination: Jupiter pretty majorly academically worthless and in particular for use in the classroom (because of course, no bibliography makes supplemental research and even checking Seymour Simon’s text much more difficult and frustrating).

Finally, I do actually still think that Destination: Jupiter provides a decent enough basic introduction. But there is just no way I will without major academic reservations recommend a totally non fiction astronomy book where the author has chosen not to include any bibliographic material, and indeed, while I do not fault Seymour Simon for the outdatedness of Destination: Jupiter as that is bien sûr the nature of the academic beast, the fact remains that for 2021, the 1998/2000 publication date does indeed make Destination: Jupiter not all that factually current.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the big photographs on every page spread - I did think there would be more information about Jupiter, and I didn't expect the moons to be addressed. Almost half the book was talking about the moons! I didn't mind learning about them, but wished more had been included about Jupiter. This book is 20 years old now so I'm sure we have expanded our knowledge, but as an introductory book for kids it is good. Even I learned something!

There is one reference to billion of years if that is something that concerns, but would be easy to black out.

[Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am very concerned that the information in this book is old and outdated.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish it would get updated! Nice pictures.

Q2021 book

[elodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is awesome and really educational. books about space are really good in general but this one was both short and to the point. i wonder if seymour simon wrote books similar to this one about the other planets in the solar system? if so, i would love to thrift them and read them and enjoy them just like this one. (seymour simon is an awesome name.) this book is interesting and gives me a glimpse of a simpler life and world from 1998. i wish the world was still like that.

i believe i first read this book in second grade as an eight year old. since then, i (might) have revisited it a couple more times besides today, but as of right now, i am twelve and in seventh grade. time goes by too quickly

[Jeremy Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pretty cool. It showed magnificent photographs of Jupiter from Earth, from space, and pictures of the planet's moons. The book tells of Jupiter's size, its many moons, and its different mysteries, like the Great Red Spot. It's a beautiful book.

I would use this book for a science lesson, maybe as we explore our solar system. The kids would be amazed by the photographs, and would maybe even want to go there. It's a great informational book.

[Bryceson]

Cool Book

[Cassidy Wells · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot of information in it but I did like how the author often compared facts about Jupiter to facts about Earth to help give the reader some context. Informational.

[Margaux Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destination Jupiter was written was Seymour Simon. This book talks about the planet Jupiter. Jupiter is the fourth brightest planet in the universe, right after the Sun, the Moon, and Venus. Jupiter was named after the king of the Gods in Roman mythology. Jupiter is about 480 miles away from the sun. No one has every seen its surface because of the clouds on its surface. These clouds are about really thick about hundred miles of thickness; the colors of these clouds are orange, red, yellow, tan, and white. A mystery from the planet Jupiter is the Great Red Spot. This spot was seen from a telescope from Earth, about three hundred years ago. No one actually knows when it was actually formed, but it changes colors and size over the years, sometimes it could be small and pink. But over its changes it does not change its position from Jupiter. Jupiter has about sixteen moons that, and even more would be discovered. The four largest moons, and circles close to Jupiter are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Calisto. A fact about Europa, the planet that circles Jupiter, has long been consider to be the only plant in our Solar System being able to be warm and wet enough to support life. Scientists also discovered a thin ring that circles Jupiter just like Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn. Thus, Seymour Simon wrote Destination Jupiter.

Five facts I learned from this book are, first knowing that Europa might be enough warm and wet to support life. The second fact is that three spacecraft’s were sent to Jupiter, which are Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and Galileo. The third fact is that Jupiter has a thing ring that circles it. The fourth fact is that Jupiter is about 480 million miles away from the sun. And finally, no one has ever seen Jupiter’s surface because of the clouds that are on top of it. The author, who is Seymour Simon, does not give any opinions, because it only says facts about Jupiter, and in no points did the author just, said he was going to give opinions. Another title I would give to this book instead of Destination Jupiter is “Fun Facts about the Planet Jupiter”. I would name is like this because in this book it says a lot of interesting facts about Jupiter, so I think it would be a better choice by naming it like this. Thus, these were the questions I answered for my book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read about Jupiter. This book has no actual level, because it says many facts that anyone could read about, even fifth graders. This book is a great book for science teachers to be reading in class or a project about Jupiter. Thus, this book would be for anyone who would like to read about Jupiter.

[dogluvers867 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was highly interesting. I love Seymour Simon books and this one was pretty good. But I expected more.

~Audrey**

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Destination: Jupiter (Paperback)
by Seymour Simon (Goodreads Author)
great pictures brief facts, good child's resources

[Grannyreadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful photographs w/ lots of info., clearly written.

[Katy-Margaret Doss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review for Destination: Jupiter by Seymour Simon. This book is about the planet Jupiter and some of the facts and mysteries that surround this planet. This book talks about what Jupiter looks like, what one might expect to see and find there, how many moons Jupiter has and many more facts about this giant planet. I liked this book. I thought it presented the information in a way that would be easy for kids to understand and the pictures are great and something kids would really enjoy. This book would definitely be good to use as part of a science lesson or used to introduce kids to the subject right before a unit on the solar system. I would use this book to work on asking "wh" questions, reading comprehension, and expanding vocabulary.

[Shelby]

Destination: Jupiter is all about Jupiter is all about Jupiter. Where it is located, what's around it, and how it looks from earth. Largest planet in the solar system and 5th planet from sun. Swirled with reds, oranges, tans, yellows and whites. Jupiter's clouds carry gases where Earth's carry water droplets. Galileo is the most recent attempt launch to Jupiter, which discovered wind speeds of more than 300 mph along with at least 16 moons.

This book has amazing pictures and the facts were very cut and short, didn't really drag out and I liked that. I enjoyed the pictures more than the words, but overall good book.

This book would be great as a resource on a project, or even part of a read aloud for a science lesson. It could even be an independent read for the student who really enjoys science and the solar system.