The Big Dipper: An Award-Winning Illustrated Guide to Stargazing and the Night Sky for Children (Ages 4-8)

Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 1

by Franklyn Mansfield Branley, Molly Coxe (Illustrations)

Read and find out about the stars and how to find the Big Dipper in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book. Are the stars out tonight? If they are, chances are you'll be able to spot the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is one of the easiest constellations to recognize, and this book will help young stargazers find it, as well as its companion, the Little Dipper. And once you've begun to learn about the constellations, the sky's the limit! This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom, and is sure to inspire skygazing. This is a Level 1 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores introductory concepts perfect for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series Top 10 reasons to love Books in this series support the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let's-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

Genres: Science, Astronomy, Picture Books, Childrens, Space, Nonfiction, 1st Grade

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the colors - big spreads with that wonderful blue and purple and 1960s magenta alternating with black-and-white spreads which make excellent use of shades of gray. Emberley is an interesting illustrator who does so much just with little straight lines.

The first-person narrative makes for a pleasant change. It's also nice that this book is so focused - it's not about constellations or astronomy. We learn about the big and little dippers (and the big and little bears) and how they appear in summer and winter, the North Star, and that's about it. Very relaxed, with about four lines (max of eight) on each page, mostly only one page per spread.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, which gives a very basic astronomy lesson focused on just the big and little dippers. With its minimal text and colorful illustrations, this is a perfect book to share with a preschooler who is interested in space but isn't ready for a lot of information all at once.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my students when we began talking about outer space-- specifically the planets and stars. Its at a higher reading level than kindergarten, but just simple enough that first grade could read and grasp it's content. Although this book is older, the kids really took to it and I thought it was great!!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little science picture book is about the Big Dipper and also the Little Dipper, how to locate them in the night sky, their constellation names, and more information. Interesting and simply explained for young children. Nicely illustrated.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

ATOS 3.1

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some pretty detailed information about this constellation- on a kindergarten or first-grade level!

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good one for budding astronomers.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how facts are woven into a story.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very educational book about the big Dipper. I thought it was ok, but not outstanding.

[Noelani · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Nice information and illustrations.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in part in storytime. I think it'd be great for kindergarteners or a very interested child on a lap, but probably not one I'll use with a mixed-age group again.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple explanation of the Big Dipper and Little Dipper--how to find them in the sky and why they are important. This is an easy enough book that I might try it with my preschool storytime.

[Jt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book pitched at 4 - 8 year olds. Simple explanation of big dipper and little dipper constellations making constellation learning accessible. Could accompany with hands-on space activities covered in the book:

Follow up activities:
* Looking for the big dipper, little dipper in the sky
* Use the sky to determine directions (North, South, East, West) and compare to a compass

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Browsing books to give my friends' children as gifts since I won't gift anything I haven't first read myself.

Another excellent option for a curious little scientist. Encourages learning about and appreciating the stars with a pretty universal subject matter that is simple enough for early elementary astronomers. This one ranks high in possibility because I know it is something their father will actually go outside at night and do with them.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this years ago when my AppleBlossom was on her Memoria Press Kindergarten Enrichment adventure. Today, we revisited it with my Rascal's own Kinder journey. We read about Christopher Columbus in Follow the Dream by Peter Sis and then about cartography with the help of the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library to follow up with The Big Dipper from the Let's Read and Find Out Science series. What a beginning to a mystery of science and history my son is beginning to venture out into. This book isn't the best illustrations in my opinion and it is ridiculously simple, but perhaps exactly so as it should be for a kindergarten introduction. With the vast and complex illustrations from Peter Sis, this book made a good companion. Overall, I love the Let's Read and Find Out Science series and I cannot wait as he starts to dive into more of them.

I own a really old paperback copy of this that I bought used. We sought and bought a copy on the recommendation of the Memoria Press Kindergarten Enrichment.

[Alfajirikali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Athena really enjoyed this one!

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text and bright illustrations come together in this basic non-fiction title that provides an excellent overview of the Big Dipper.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for lower elementary. Goes over details about the Big Dipper and how it is and was used for navigation. Also, shows how it changes position in winter...simple but good overview.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

simple book about the big dipper and what a constellation is. 1st-3rd grade.

[Makenna Wheeler]

I like this book and the details it provides about the big dipper and other stars from a kid's perspective.
ATOS: 3.1
Guided Reading: I
6+1 Traits: Ideas, Organization, Presentation