How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland
| How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Margaret Young
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| Summary: A non-fiction story book based on the real life Peekskill Meteorite. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 40 | Date: October 2013 |
| Publisher: Blue Apple Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1609052522 | |
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This is a cumulative tale in which one small event sets off a chain of other events which are repeated throughout the story. If your child loves books like This is the House That Jack Built, this may prove a very useful addition to you home library, but this is a type of storytelling which I have found some children really take to, and others do not.
Our story begins over four billion years ago with a meteor, which we are told most likely has broken off an asteroid. I do like the inclusion of likely. The exact truth isn't known, and the author has made this clear. This proves particularly useful in science text where a new discovery may quash all the older best guesses at any time. The meteor eventually begins its journey to earth, and once again the author has kept only to the known facts. Once it enters the earth's atmosphere, the first to welcome this new addition to our planet is a dog who begins to bark. The meteorite's travels set off a further chain of events that culminates in its arrival at the museum.
I have two children, ages 5 and 8, and the boys had very different reactions to this book. The youngest loved the science aspects but disliked the cumulative style of the text. The oldest was less impressed by the science. This isn't really a criticism of the author in this area, the science is sound, it is just that he has already read enough about meteorites that it was old hat. He liked the repetition in the story and the way it built up, but he is getting a bit too old for most picture books now. I do not think age really has an impact on whether the children like this type of story or not, it is simply a matter of taste. The illustrations are adequate, but I'm afraid they failed to engage either child.
I would have liked a bit more detail on the illustration as well, but overall I found this a very interesting book and I love the idea of non - fiction picture books for the very young. This does teach science in a fun but memorable way. It not only explains how a meteorite is formed and comes to earth but also shows children some of the different types of scientists and what they do. It is just bad luck that in our case, the oldest child is getting a bit too old for this type of book and the youngest child wasn't especially fond of this style of narrative. Both boys, however, very much enjoyed the additional facts at the end of the story. I do feel that the youngest has learned a fair amount from this, without realising that it was really educational and a less science mad 8-year-old would have taken a lot from it as well. From an educational standpoint, this does deserve a full five stars. Whether it rates this highly in entertainment value will depend upon the child's individual tastes.
If this book appeals then we can also recommend:
Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space by Dominic Walliman and Ben Newman
Aliens In Underpants Save The World by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
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You can read more book reviews or buy How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland at Amazon.com.
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