When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto

by Elaine Scott, Pete Larkin

Q: When is a planet not a planet?

Scientists have argued for years over the answer to this question. And central to their debate has been Pluto, the tiny orb circling the Sun at the outermost reaches of our solar system. Then on August 24, 2006, a group of astronomers made a big announcement: Pluto could no longer be considered a planet.
    
This fascinating and breathtaking audiobook explains in simple terms how advancements in technology have changed our understanding of the universe–and exactly how and why the number of planets in our solar system went from nine to eight.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Audiobook, Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile, Space

Audio

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give it 11 stars because it has Pluto.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2006 Pluto was "demoted" to a dwarf planet. This book starts in Ancient Greece and gives an overview of the history of astronomy, leading up to the fateful decision that Pluto is not a planet. Did you know that Pluto is not the first planet to be demoted? I had no idea. This book is great for kids in grades 3-6 and even for adults who want a clear, concise explanation with enough background information to shed understanding on the decision to "demote" Pluto. A glossary, index, and list of books & websites for further reading are included.

[MissInformation · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title is a misnomer- Pluto is used as a backdrop to explore the history of astronomy. There is a great recounting of early astronomers and how scientific theories about the planets have changed over time, including up to the present day. A great, accessibly written title for showing kids how science isn't a static thing- there is still plenty of room for observation, discovery and argument.

[Ayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars a quick history through astronomy, lightly touching base on the Astronomers that came before, who brought about our understanding of our planetary solar system. And why Pluto and Charon are dwarf planets. Did not know that at certain points in time that Neptune is actually the farthest planet in the system when Pluto comes into its orbit.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick 45 minute audio that has a brief history of our solar system and explanation of Pluto's status as a planet.

[Faith Tydings · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book that gave a brief history of our solar system and the men (no women) responsible for the rules and guidelines that planets, asteroids, comets, etc. could abide by in order to be classified as such. It gives validity to Pluto as a dwarf planet, and not actually a legit planet in our solar system, and it introduces us to new dwarf planets that are also not going to be a part of our solar system. All with the contingencies that all of this could change with a new set of men (and hopefully some women) that will come along at make new rules and guidelines.

[Josie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

When your second graders want to understand this question! This book shows some of the process in this scientific process in declaring that Pluto is not a planet. This book is also helpful for students to understand that science is not stagnant and that we are continually exploring and rethinking and questioning - much like their curiosity about many things. This is a good book that I can pick and choose parts to read to them. I know read it before to 5th graders and it is suited for older students.

[Yibbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel a little bit snookered. I thought this would be more about the meteoric career of Pluto the planet. Instead, it was a history of astronomy from Copernicus and Galileo to the International Astronomical Union. There was almost as much about Galileo’s fight with the church as there was about the classification change. Not that there wasn’t some interesting information in there for young children. It just wasn’t what I expected from the title.
It probably lost a lot as an audiobook. Pictures would have helped.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the history of the discovery of planets and the composition of the solar system from the ancient Greeks up to the definition of a planet made by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. The year that Pluto became a Dwarf Planet and reduced the number of planets in the Solar System from nine back to eight. Scott tells the story in a lively and informative fashion that’s colorfully illustrated.

[Skybo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dry- and the narrator of the audio book was not much help. The five year old stuck with the audiobook, but it was a long car ride and she was definitely restless at the end. Fair enough, 5 is not necessarily the intended audience. I was a little restless too.

[Jason Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer - I listened to the audiobook. A great kids book on Pluto, the planets, and a basic explanation for why Pluto is no longer considered a full planet. Very quick read but full of fun facts and written in a way to keep a child entertained.

[Kelly Whitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book for kids about the planets and other objects in the solar system. Was a good read for me just to renew how to write for a nonscientific audience. It covered ideas such as gravity and rules for planets in an easy-to-understand way.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio. Didn’t realize it was a kid’s book until I was already on the treadmill.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and simple astronomy introduction. My kids learned something.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good quick overview of basic astronomy history and facts mostly geared towards a younger audience; the audiobook was well done.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hit with my space loving 4 and 6 year old. I would have given it 5 stars, had it not labeled Ceres as a Kuyper belt object toward the end.

[Marlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and simple. Quick. An easy read for any age with some interesting facts.

[Stephen Carrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book on the history of the discovery, naming and conventions on our solar system over the past few thousand years.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the story, When Is a Planet, Not a Planet? The Story of Pluto, Elaine Scott provides significant information about plants, outer space, and how we came to discover them. I liked the way she provided a background history of early Greek astrologists dating back to 1000 B.C. This emphasizes to the reader how long ago concepts and ideas about space began to form. Elaine Scott mentions a wide variety of early founders of science and how each contributed to our knowledge of science today. On page 17, Scott notes, "Scientists must always be willing to abandon their theories when new information comes along that contradicts those theories." I find this to be an important theme in the book because the author stresses how each scientist usually builds off another's work, and that science is always changing.This helps emphasize to students that we must be willing to adapt to these constant changes and new discoveries. I liked how the author also incorporated some key inventions to the discovery of planets, such as the telescope. This book incorporates laws of physics also, making it a great introduction book for a science lesson. Although it uses some words young students may be unfamiliar with, the auhtor does a great job of breaking the words down and defining them into simple terms, which I feel helps keep the readers attention. I like how she frequently discusses theories and hypotheses, and how they are related and different. I feel it is important children be introduced to these concepts at an early age, because they are not always easy concepts to grasp. Another benefit of this book is how it discusses how large planets are in comparison to one another, and how they interact with eachother. The visual aids in this book are very colorful and detailed. The author uses a combination of both real-life actual photos and computerized images. This book introduces students to many theories, some which are still developing, which provides a basis for the reader to build their own theories. The book was a bit dull, but I think that is because it was specfically for information, not for entertainment. I think it is a great book for introducing a science lesson, and contains so many useful facts which young students, and young adults even, should be exposed to.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction text invites readers into a world of mystery and intrigue as it takes an in-depth look into the solar system, astronomical discoveries and some of the recent controversies. Most notably, is Pluto a planet or not!? Although the title reflects only a single story related to our solar system (that of Pluto being demoted to a dwarf planet), Elaine Scott introduces significant astronomical discovers about outer space and early scientific understanding. Illustrations in the book are both visually stimulating and complex, including real-life pictures and computer generated models to present readers with an intricate and detailed perspective of space. Although this text is dense with facts and theoretical explanations, Scott provides broken down definitions for a multitude of readers to understand and respond to. This text would be useful when learning about the process of textual organization, specifically sorting out the main ideas from the details of nonfiction texts. Students should be encouraged to reflect, ask questions, discuss with a grown up or friend as they read. This is a text to be shared as a beneficial learning tool in the study of astrological concepts related to science.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both my 1st and 3rd grader have been learning about the solar system at school and have often listed off the planets in order. But I am always just itching to add, yes, but there used to be Pluto, too!! What happened to Pluto? I think I somehow missed the exact explanation for why Pluto is no longer a planet when they made that decision in 2006, so I was interested in this book when I saw it at the library. It gives a brief history of astronomy and is quite detailed in the science and definitions of what makes a planet. It's a picture-book format, but has 1/2-full pages of text interspersed with terrific photos. Probably about a 4th grade reading level. Now I can say I am no longer stumped and can actually understand why they "got rid of Pluto!" Definitely recommend it.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't usually my kind of topic, but I thought this was a great summary of all the scientific discoveries that have led to our planetary system today. I enjoyed learning about (or, in some cases remembering about) the discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo, the way our planets fit together and look in space, and of course, the dramatic demotion of everyone's favorite planet (when did astronomy get so dramatic?).
Children on the younger end of our spectrum who are interested in, or have to learn about, planets would be a good audience for this book. The author also pulls the history into the story and leads the reader through all the views of our solar system, so it is not a dry, boring account.
Discusses religion's interactions with the science.

[Kelly Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimmy (6): It was awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

Mommy (not 6): I found this book to be very interesting and a great introduction to the story of planetary science and specifically to the story of Pluto. At the same time we read this as a family, I read "How I Killed Pluto" by Mike Brown as well as "The Pluto Files" by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It was fun to read a child-friendly book to my daughter as I read a more in-depth perspective myself. Kimmy now has a budding interest in science and has now requested a child-friendly book on evolution (brought on by our discussion of possible life on other planets). I guess I'll go looking to see what else I can find for my future astrophysicist.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam and I listened to this on audiobook on a road trip. It was very enjoyable and, while written for perhaps a middle schooler or an advanced elementary schooler, educational. Scott does the listener/reader a great favor approaching Pluto from a scientific and historical context, bringing to light why it was once considered a planet, why science changed it's mind on the matter, and even how something very similar has happened before! Ever here of Ceres? Poor thing didn't get it's own set of nostalgic t-shirts bemoaning it's demotion.

So... while I know it won't win me brownie points with many, I'll stand by my opinion. Pluto shouldn't have been a planet in the first place. Dwarf planet is just fine and it has good company.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great review of the up and down history of the 'planet' Pluto. I found it to be neither too simplistic as to be worthless nor too dense as to bore. I think the author did a tremendous job of slipping in definitions, explanations or pronunciations as needed to help children (or really any age reader unfamiliar with the topic) to understand the background. Plus, a child will definitely have learned something when they finish this book. A must have for young star gazers this is one of the best works of nonfiction geared toward children that I've read in some time.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre:Nonfiction
Copyright:2007
Elaine Scott begins this book with an early historical chronology of the scientist who contributed to our discovery of the planets. But the main focus of this book is Pluto and how and why it got dethroned as a planet to a dwarf planet. The photos and paintings are beautifully vivid. The story of Pluto is a well-researched book lending its reading style and level ideally to 4th to 6th graders. It touches on historical components as well as the long time battle between scientists to answer the question, “when is a planet not a planet.”

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book. It has so much information and not just about Pluto. It tells us about the scientists past and present who studied and now study the skies. I used to be upset that Pluto was demoted but now that I understand what happened I don't feel so bad for our former smallest planet. It is actually now a dwarf planet and acts more like a comet than a planet. All kids, young and old, should read this book and gain knowledge about the objects that surround us.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent non-fiction book for 4th/5th/6th graders about why and how Pluto got demoted from its planet status. It gives a general overview of the history of astronomy without seeming boring and lifeless. Each small chapter highlights an event in astronomy which are all important to the explanation of why Pluto is not considered a planet anymore.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to this great little book which discusses the history of studying planets, the old definition of a planet and the new definitions of bodies that orbit our Sun (and other suns). Very informative!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, brief, junior-high-aged review of general astronomy and its history. As an adult, some of the definitions and repetitive "interesting fact" comments got a little annoying. I learned several things including the reality that Pluto is no longer a planet.