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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Cox Landing Public Library | 520.92 MAR | Juvenile | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
This beautifully illustrated biography of Edwin Hubble explores the curiosity that he possessed from a young age, and the many questions that he asked about our universe. This book invites children to ponder these questions as well: how many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?
This beautifully illustrated biography of Edwin Hubble explores the curiosity that he possessed from a young age, and the many questions that he asked about our universe. This book invites children to ponder these questions as well: How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids of 2021
A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings ) Loveliest Children's Book of 2021
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022, of Outstanding Merit
An Air & Space Magazine Best Children's Book of 2021
A EUREKA! Nonfiction Children's Book Honor Award Winner (California Reading Association)
Nominated for a 2023 Beehive Award for Children's Informational Books (Children's Literature Association of Utah)
This is the story of Edwin Hubble, a boy fascinated by the stars who surmounted many hurdles to follow his dreams of becoming an astronomer. Using the insights of great mathematicians and endlessly observing the sky, he succeeded in confirming two things that altered human life forever: that there are more galaxies than our own, and that the universe is always expanding. Hubble's message to us is to find peace in the vastness of the mystery surrounding us, and to be curious. "We do now know why we are born into the world," he said, "but we can try to find out what sort of world it is."
Author Notes
Isabelle Marinov speaks four languages fluently, but for a reason that defies her, English is her preferred language for prose. She likes to write across genres and has always been fascinated by physics and astronomy, but since her brain wasn't wired for those, she studied law instead. The Boy Whose Head Was Filled With Stars marks Isabelle's picture book debut. You can visit her at www.isabellemarinov.com and follow her on Instagram @isabelle.marinov.
Deborah Marcero is the author and illustrator of In A Jar (Putnam) and My Heart Is A Compass (LBYR). Deborah has always loved photographing starry night skies, but by painting the stars through the discoveries of Edwin Hubble, the universe became much more vast than it was before for her, too. You can find more of Deborah's books and drawings at deborahmarcero.com or follow her on Twitter or Instagram @deborahmarcero.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--5--Edwin Hubble, a white American astronomer, loved looking at the stars in the Missouri sky. Though his father discouraged his fascination, his grandfather built him a telescope for his eighth birthday. As he gazed into the night, he wondered, "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" These three questions are repeated throughout the book. Hubble's father did not want his son to study astronomy. Hubble studied law at the University of Oxford in England before becoming a teacher and basketball coach. When his father died in 1914, he was free to pursue his true calling. He got a job at the Mount Wilson Observatory, home to the world's largest telescope. There he studied the Andromeda Nebula to determine if other galaxies existed. Drawing on the work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, he was able to prove that the Nebula was too far away to be part of the Milky Way galaxy. While Hubble did help build the Hale telescope and was the first to use it in 1949, he did not build the Hubble, which bears his name. Marcero's illustrations, rendered in acrylic, watercolor, pencil, and ink, use a primary palette of blue, black, and gray. Readers will appreciate Hubble's passion and perseverance. They will also marvel at the great size of the telescopes when they see him seated inside. While the text is generally brief and accessible, several diagrams, maps, and more complex explanations are included. However, the bulk of technical information is appended in two notes for true enthusiasts. VERDICT A quiet, inspirational picture book biography.--Barbara Auerbach, Cairo P.L., NY
Publisher's Weekly Review
Marinov and Marcero pair up to create this visually striking biography of astronomer Edwin Hubble, whose insatiable curiosity led to groundbreaking discoveries about the cosmos in the early 20th century. Straightforward storytelling details young Hubble's early obsession with the sky throughout his Missouri childhood and first career as a teacher and basketball coach, then his transition into astronomy, while mixed-media illustrations evoke the immenseness of the universe in compositions, including an impressive gatefold, that emphasize star-studded skies. Paneled vignettes pace the story, while diagrams and maps extend the narrative and illustrate astrophysical phenomena (e.g., a lunar eclipse). Back matter, including author and illustrator notes and a brief biography, further explains Hubble's major contributions to astronomy--helping show the universe's sprawling size and adding evidence to the theory that it's expanding--concluding a book that should spark the imagination of young sky-watchers while introducing the scientist for whom a modern space telescope is named. Ages 7--10. (Jan.)
Horn Book Review
Set against a dramatic background of black, white, and ice-blue watercolors, this picture-book biography of Edwin Hubble (18891953) emphasizes the vastness and wonder of the night sky that drove his passion for astronomy. As a child, Edwin would gaze up at the heavens, asking: "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" His father had little patience for such diversions and discouraged Edwin's interest in science. After his father's death, however, Edwin enrolled in the University of Chicago to major in astronomy. Taking his first job at the Mount Wilson Observatory (where striking illustrations show him, night after night, at its giant telescope), Hubble discovered that the Milky Way is but one galaxy, merely a small part of a vast universe. The book's explanation of how Hubble proved that the universe is expanding may be beyond the complete understanding of the audience, but referencing the previous work of astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt helps show children that scientists do not act alone, but rather metaphorically stand on the shoulders of others. Repeated throughout the text, the three questions that initiated Hubble's interest emphasize his lifelong drive and persistence. Also repeated are visual motifs, first a grouping of stars, reminiscent of thought balloons, surrounding Hubble's head when he studies or contemplates astronomy; more striking is the vast majesty of the night sky that dominates both Hubble's interest and the reader's attention. Appended with author and illustrator notes, additional information about Edwin Hubble and the Hubble-Lematre Law, and a bibliography. Betty Carter January/February 2021 p.132(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This biography of astronomer Edwin Hubble, once a boy looking up at the night sky, is a tribute to his life's work and the joys of staying curious. When he was n he was a boy, Edwin's mother and grandfather were supportive of his interests, but when he was older, his father forbade him from studying astronomy. Hubble spent years working as a teacher, but his mind continued to dwell in the stars. After his father's death, he followed his dreams, worked at Mount Wilson Observatory, studied galaxies, and proved both that the universe is much bigger than was previously thought--depicted in a striking double gatefold--and that it is expanding. The spreads featuring sprawling night skies dotted with stars are especially beguiling. And the book's lovely pacing affords ample space to pay tribute to the sense of wonder that guided Hubble throughout his life, the repeated refrain being a set of three questions, printed in silver type, that haunted him: "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" The portion of the book about his discovery that the Andromeda Nebula is a separate galaxy gives credit where it's due, paying tribute to Henrietta Swan Leavitt, an astronomer whose work came before Hubble's. The story's concluding direct address to readers--"Look….Look up at the stars"--is genuinely inspiring. All characters are White. Backmatter provides more details on Hubble's discoveries and includes a bibliography. Lively and wondrous--readers will be star-struck. (Picture book/biography. 6-12.) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
From an early age Edwin Hubble loved stars, a passion supported by his grandfather's gift of a telescope at age eight. Although he trained as an attorney (as his father wished), he never practiced; eventually he studied astronomy and secured a position at Mount Wilson Observatory, in California. Throughout, Marinov's simple text emphasizes Hubble's lifelong questions: "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" She also clarifies several of his most important accomplishments: measuring distances between stars, the expansion of the universe (Hubble's law), and his construction of the Hale telescope. Marcero's mixed-media illustrations (acrylic, watercolor, pencil, and ink) use a limited palette (black and white, with accents in blues, greens, and purples) reflective of the night skies depicted. Human figures appear in appropriate period dress, and celestial bodies sparkle elegantly against pitch-black skies. Although there is very little personal information included, the appended author and illustrator notes and further information about Hubble's discoveries make this useful for primary astronomy units.
