Journey Around the Sun
From 4 to 8 | 32 pages
Halley’s Comet tells its own history in this unique STEM book
Halley’s Comet, visible from Earth only once every 75 years, tells its own story in this unique informational picture book. With each return of the comet, the book highlights human life at that time, and how science has advanced toward a greater understanding of our universe.
Told in minimal, poetic text paired with detailed captions for context, the book begins with sightings in ancient civilizations, where for centuries, the comet was a mystery recorded in art and writing. From Edmond Halley’s successful prediction of the comet’s return in 1758, through the advent of technologies like cameras and eventually a spacecraft that photographed its ice core, Halley’s Comet tells an inspiring and wide-reaching story of scientific advancement and cultural history.
The book closes by inviting readers to wonder what our world might look like the next time Halley’s Comet is visible from earth, expected in 2061. What will the comet “see,” next time it passes by on its journey?
"The text is accompanied by full-page paintings that capture the beautiful vastness of the sky along with panels that portray the intensity and fascination of the scientists, artists, and ordinary folk... Factual, historical, and inspirational." - Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW
"It’s rare to come across an informational picture book that offers the perfect mix of fact and wonder. But [Journey Around the Sun] is one such gem: a cosmic road trip sure to delight any reader who has ever looked up toward the heavens in awe."
- Quill & Quire - STARRED REVIEW
"A smart, meditative introduction to the astronomical phenomenon." - Foreword Reviews
"An intriguing picture book primer on 'the most famous comet.'" - Publishers Weekly
"Halley’s Comet speaks to readers, recounting the various ways that people throughout history have understood the celestial object. Gladstone and Eshet take us from the time of Aristotle to the space age — with many stops in between." - Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
"Gladstone not only provides readers with a 'personal' account of the comet and lots of fascinating historical and scientific information but he also asks us to think about our relationship to the stars and, ultimately, the universe."
- The Globe and Mail
"This attractive informational picture book will provoke curiosity and wonder about our amazing universe and its history." - Canadian Children's Book News
"A fun and beautifully illustrated introduction to Halley’s Comet." - Canadian Review of Materials
A Junior Library Guild selection, 2021
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2021, 2021
Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2021
Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picture Book of the Year Award, 2022
