Book Cover
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http://www.carolyndecristofano.com/about/
Book Summary
This book clears up the misconception of a black hole being the kind of hole that we can dig in the ground or poke our finger through. The author thoroughly covers all aspects of a black hole to satisfy readers curiosity. She starts with a compare and contrast to something we might know about: whirlpools. Ms. DeCristofano then talks about the pull a black hole has. The next part is about how a black hole forms which goes into the relationship of light and space. After than, the author explains how scientists see black holes in space and she goes into the history of black hole discoveries. A timeline is included at the end of the book along with a glossary, author's notes, author's references, and an index.
Reference
DeCristofano, Carolyn. (2012). A black hole is not a hole, Charlesbridge.
Library's Corner
I had fun reading this book! I read more nonfiction books than fiction books every year and I'm impressed with A Black Hole is Not A Hole by Carolyn DeCristofano. Black holes are sort of a hard-to-grasp concept and yet the author is able to explain the best she can with things more down to earth. The author is very knowledgeable on the topic and has a great sense of humor that can keep readers' attention. It is a great introductory book for students who are interested in space.
Reviews
From Booklist
Starred Review* Writing with rare verve (A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally.), DeCristofano condenses recent astronomical discoveries into a high-energy account of what we know or guess about one of the universe's deepest and most unobservable secrets. Covering the life cycles of stars; the formation of black holes and weird optical and physical effects associated with them; more recent revelations of super-sized black holes at the centers of galaxies; and the general effects of mass on space, light, and matter, she presents a clear, well-rounded picture of the strange structure and stranger physics of black holes. After leading a wild ride over a black hole's event horizon (Right away, you would need a new nickname something like Stretch . . . .) and explaining theories about gravity from Newton's notions to Einstein's Spacey Ideas, DeCristofano leaves readers to ponder the truth of her claim that a black hole isn't a hole but NOT exactly NOT a hole either. Enhanced by a time line and a generous set of further resources and illustrated with plenty of cogent diagrams, space photographs, and Carroll's dramatic images of stellar whirlpools and mammoth jets of gas around cores of impenetrable blackness this book will snatch readers from their orbits and fling them into a lasting fascination with nature's most attractive phenomena. Literally. Grades 4-6
Peters, John. (February 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Booklist, 108(11).
From Kirkus
Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book. The volume guides readers on a (literally) out-of-this-world tour, dealing with topics and concepts that, in the hands of a less-gifted writer, might have remained obscure and unclear. DeCristofano handles the material with wit, style and singularly admirable clarity, frequently employing easy-to-understand and, yes, down-to-earth ideas and scenarios to help make complex principles comprehensible to readers of all ages. Carroll's illustrations, diagrams and charts, along with superb telescopic photographs (many courtesy of NASA) are splendid and filled with the drama and excitement of the limitless vastness of space. The handsome design and visuals greatly enhance the text and add much to readers' grasp of the subject. Stargazers will be entranced, and even those not especially attuned to matters celestial will come away feeling smarter, awestruck and with a sense of finally understanding this fascinating, other-worldly phenomenon. An excellent resource. Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) 2012, Charlesbridge, 80 pp., $18.95. Category: Nonfiction. Ages 10 to 14. Starred Review. © 2012 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
Kirkus. (January 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Kirkus Reviews, 80(1).
Starred Review* Writing with rare verve (A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally.), DeCristofano condenses recent astronomical discoveries into a high-energy account of what we know or guess about one of the universe's deepest and most unobservable secrets. Covering the life cycles of stars; the formation of black holes and weird optical and physical effects associated with them; more recent revelations of super-sized black holes at the centers of galaxies; and the general effects of mass on space, light, and matter, she presents a clear, well-rounded picture of the strange structure and stranger physics of black holes. After leading a wild ride over a black hole's event horizon (Right away, you would need a new nickname something like Stretch . . . .) and explaining theories about gravity from Newton's notions to Einstein's Spacey Ideas, DeCristofano leaves readers to ponder the truth of her claim that a black hole isn't a hole but NOT exactly NOT a hole either. Enhanced by a time line and a generous set of further resources and illustrated with plenty of cogent diagrams, space photographs, and Carroll's dramatic images of stellar whirlpools and mammoth jets of gas around cores of impenetrable blackness this book will snatch readers from their orbits and fling them into a lasting fascination with nature's most attractive phenomena. Literally. Grades 4-6
Peters, John. (February 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Booklist, 108(11).
From Kirkus
Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book. The volume guides readers on a (literally) out-of-this-world tour, dealing with topics and concepts that, in the hands of a less-gifted writer, might have remained obscure and unclear. DeCristofano handles the material with wit, style and singularly admirable clarity, frequently employing easy-to-understand and, yes, down-to-earth ideas and scenarios to help make complex principles comprehensible to readers of all ages. Carroll's illustrations, diagrams and charts, along with superb telescopic photographs (many courtesy of NASA) are splendid and filled with the drama and excitement of the limitless vastness of space. The handsome design and visuals greatly enhance the text and add much to readers' grasp of the subject. Stargazers will be entranced, and even those not especially attuned to matters celestial will come away feeling smarter, awestruck and with a sense of finally understanding this fascinating, other-worldly phenomenon. An excellent resource. Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) 2012, Charlesbridge, 80 pp., $18.95. Category: Nonfiction. Ages 10 to 14. Starred Review. © 2012 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
Kirkus. (January 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Kirkus Reviews, 80(1).
Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can demonstrate a KWL chart strategy using A Black Hole is Not a Hole since black holes are not commonly studied in school. The school librarian can examine children's prior knowledge on the topic and demonstrate how misconceptions can be corrected by reading nonfiction books. The school librarian can also help classroom teachers enhance the learning on nonfiction features such as: captions, vocabulary words, tables, charts, etc.
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can demonstrate a KWL chart strategy using A Black Hole is Not a Hole since black holes are not commonly studied in school. The school librarian can examine children's prior knowledge on the topic and demonstrate how misconceptions can be corrected by reading nonfiction books. The school librarian can also help classroom teachers enhance the learning on nonfiction features such as: captions, vocabulary words, tables, charts, etc.
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