When a nonfiction book is written in a fiction format, this is one of my favorite ways of presenting it. Everything is accessible and able to be conveniently understood. It teases the interests and allows us to be happy with what we have or go on to explore more.
In Journey Around the Sun: The Story of Halley’s Comet we have the story of Halley’s Comet being told by the comet itself. The voice of the comet is friendly and almost like a beloved grandparent. James Gladstone makes something we can never see, or touch, come alive in a whole new way.
With gorgeously illustrated artwork by Yaara Eshet, this book tells you the highlights of the comet and the history even of the world. The images are busy and bold, and filled with text, colors, details and each page is filled with tons of wonderful goodness. The science and history of the comet and the world comes together seamlessly.
And not only do we see the scientific, but we also see how superstation and myth came into play. We see how people felt it was a herald of doom (such as the death of a king soon after a grand battle), but it might even be answer one of the oldest questions we have: The star that told of the birth of Christ? I would give you even money that was Halley’s Comet. What do you think? Give it a read and let me know!
This book is for at least ages five and up, but even seven to ten would be the best bet. The picture book format, however, might turn off the older reader. Therefore, I would say that this book is best for a classroom setting and not necessarily for solo reading.
