By Douglas Florian - Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings

by Douglas Florian

Blast off with Douglas Florian's new high-flying compendium, which features twenty whimsical poems about space. From the moon to the stars, from the Earth to Mars, here is an exuberant celebration of our celestial surroundings that's certain to become a universal favorite among aspiring astronomers everywhere. Includes die-cut pages and a glossary of space terms.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Science, Childrens, Nonfiction, Space, Planets

Hardcover

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now perhaps I am missing something with regard to Douglas Florian's illustrations because I have been reading Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings as a Kindle download. For although I do kind of and to a certain small extent appreciate the work that must have gone into the pictures themselves, I also have not in any way been at all "wowed" by them, as especially in the e-book format, the vastness and majesty of outer space is not at least to and for my eyes ever successfully enough indicated by Florian's often rather overly busy and intricate visuals (which also and annoyingly often seem to appear more than a bit unclear and washed out on my Ipad). And frankly, truly, I for one would have much preferred either photographs or more realistic science based paintings, since the author/illustrator's aptly named space poems do in my opinion not really mesh all that successfully and all that well with the accompanying visual images, since the latter are generally fantastical and imaginative, but the former, the space poems themselves, while indeed lyrical, rhythmic and rhyming are still for all intents and purposes totally non fictional and scientific in scope and feel.

But truth be told, I have from a textual and word usage point of departure also not really enjoyed Douglas Florian's verses all that much either. And indeed, there are on a potential reading pleasure level only a very select few of Florian's poems which to and for me truly show and present an adequate and delightful, readable combination of lyricism and scientific fact, with the majority of the presented verses showing in particular rhyming sequences that unfortunately tend to feel rather artificial, pedestrian and forced to my ears and eyes (and yes indeed, I would therefore most definitely have much preferred the text of Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings to have been presented entirely in prose and not in poetry, as so many of the author's lyrics and verses, while certainly showing and presenting the wonders of the solar system and beyond, just read and flow rather too awkwardly with regard to rhyming, rhythm and even vocabulary choices). Two and a half stars for Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings, but rounded down to two stars, as while I do in fact much appreciate Douglas Florian's included glossary and his suggestions for further reading (which most decidedly have been my favourite parts of this book), both the space poems and the accompnaying illustrations really have not been at all to my personal liking and tastes.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are really fun and inventive--I loved how there were little cut-out illustrations of the various gods with the planets they are named after, etc. I liked some of the poems better than others, but overall I thought they worked well and had a nice blend of wonderment, science and fun. And the scientific note at the back seemed good to me, though I don't really know enough about astronomy to be a solid judge on that issue. Overall, I think this is a fun and worthwhile introduction to the solar system!

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a fun frolic of a tour through the universe. It’s a superb introduction to the science of astronomy and to non-fiction poetry too.

The poems are very simple, and will be appealing to young children. They’re not outstanding but they’re pleasant and informative, and I loved how the “a galaxy” poem was formed in a spiral. Very cool. (The poems also put me in the mood to listen to Holst’s The Planets, and thinking of that music did distract me slightly from the book’s poems.)

The illustrations are what really shine here. They’re magnificent and they’re clever too. I love the cut outs that allow the reader to see snippets of the next page. The colors and shapes and information given from within the pictures are just terrific.

There’s also “a galactic glossary” at the end that gives more information for each section of the book, designed for educating slightly older children. It’s optional but I think very worthy for children old enough to be interested.

This is yet another excellent non-fiction picture book for children, and the best I’ve read so far about this subject. And it was written (published in 2007) after Pluto (much to my distress) was already demoted from planet status. I’m sure much of this information will eventually need to be updated, but while it’s current, this is a wonderful science book for children.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to a friend, I have discovered this fabulous writer, poet and fantastic artist. His illustrations are unique and his prose, telling.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What really stands out in this book of poems is the clever illustrations and cut outs that show glimpses of the next page. The vibrant colors and shapes really add so much to the wonderfully written poems. Each poem touches on the subject of the planets, comets or the universe in a very easy flow that will appeal to younger children. My overall favorite is “A Galaxy” which twirls into a spiral. Included with the book is a “Galactic Glossary” and “Bibliography and Links to Further Reading.”

ETA 9/4/2014: I first read this book in 2010, and since then have had an opportunity to re-read it. One of the things that still stands out to me are how each page is like an individual piece of artwork. According to the authors notes they are either a combination of gouache, collages or rubber stamps, on primed brown paper bags. I still feel that they are the piece that young children will enjoy the most about this book. The poems are simple yet paired with the wonderful illustrations are easily accessible for children to follow. I still enjoy the poem "A Galaxy" the best because it adds some whimsy to the way that the poems are read. I think it is also why I enjoy the cutouts so much too. Overall, the actual story as an introduction to space and the planets, whereas the glossary provides more of the scientific facts.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Douglas Florian, whose other collections of non-fiction poetry for children include Insectlopedia and mammalabilia , presents twenty poems about the universe, in all its great and wondrous diversity, in Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. From Skywatch, in which Florian introduces the venerable pastime of observing the heavens, to The Great Beyond, in which he highlights the vastness of unexplored space - and how much we don't know! - these are poems meant to spark the interest of young children, to inspire them to discover more about the cosmos. To that worthy end, Florian includes a "Galactic Glossary" and a list of further reading, at the rear of the book.

Although I generally don't read a great deal of children's poetry, and don't consider myself very well-informed about the genre, I found this collection engaging, and would recommend it to young children who are just starting to be curious about the skies above them. There isn't really a lot of actual information here (although the glossary does give some further details), but then, the focus is on the beauty of the heavens, and the joy of discovery. The illustrations, made with gouache, collage and rubber stamps, are eye-catching, capturing the sense of wonder, implicit in the subject matter, perfectly!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit to being a sucker for science books regardless of target age. Science married to poetry elevates both to a new level. Because of that, I found it easy to fall in love with this picture book. Naturally, I adore the paintings, too, which were enhanced by the clever and well-placed cut-outs.

My favorite poems were "the universe" and "a galaxy." "the solar system" reminded me of the funny Sidney Harris cartoon about Kepler explaining what an eclipse is to his peers. :)

The only thing I had a quibble with is the line about planetesimals being measured in decimals. I know what is being conveyed but it does make it sound like larger bodies' measurements don't have significant digits to the right of the decimals when that's really dependent upon the accuracy of the instruments doing the measuring and the precision of a series of measurements.

Like I said, that's a minor quibble when the book is, overall, a lyrical work of art that also manages to teach science.

This review is for my buddy Velma! :)

[Crystal Marcos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. (A Picture Book Club Read http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...) I have to admit it has been awhile since I read anything about outer space. I enjoyed the illustrations and the cutouts more than the actual poems. I read this book out loud to my daughter and it didn’t flow well in a couple spots. My daughter is too young to appreciate the book to its fullest. She did enjoy the curious cutouts which she poked her finger through on occasion. She also liked the rhyming aspect of the book. When I read the section on Pluto, I stopped and said “Pluto is not a planet?!” Then my brain started twitching and I remembered hearing something about this a few years back. I did learn a thing or two from the book that I had either forgotten or perhaps never known. The author profile picture to quote my 17 month old was “Funny!"

[Riley]

My husband actually gave me this book as a gift one year, because I had mentioned it for some reason (I forget why), and while I greatly appreciate that thoughtfulness, I pretty much put the book away until we had a kid. Now it sits in her space-themed nursery, and she's finally old enough to ask to read it. ("Moon book!")

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun format, with science and poetry combined, and a bit of humor to boot. The art is great, although I do wish there had also been some real depictions of the planets and other entities described. A well-done introduction to basic astronomical and poetic concepts.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun! Will love this later when we are studying space.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars is a book comprised of several poems and paintings about space. The table of contents allows the reader to peruse the poems of their choice based on the aspect of space in which they are interested. Each page has a circle cut-out, to represent the corresponding planet detailed in the poem. The cut-outs are cleverly placed in different areas of each page to keep any reader engaged and eager to learn about space. To appreciate the artwork in this book, one must allow themselves time to scan each page. The page numbers are located in a half-moon as a sidebar on the edge of each page. This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in the detailed artwork and poems written especially for kids. The poems are written at a third grade level but can be enjoyed by children of all ages. They are informative, yet playful in order to reach a wider range of readers. An excerpt from the poem called Jupiter: “Jupiter’s jumbo, gigantic, immense. So wide side to side, but gaseous, not dense.” As one can see, the poems are factual without overwhelming the readers with difficult vocabulary. Reading this poetry along with other books about space would be helpful to students if they were studying a unit about space. While the illustrations are unique, children must also be exposed to photographs and more detailed pictures of planets to get a clear sense of their appearance. I would recommend this book to children in grades 1 through 6 as a way to use poetry to learn about space.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Douglas Florian books! It's inventive, whimsical, AND full of accurate information on space "stuff." Each planet gets its own poem along with the sun, moon, comets, and various other space elements. The collage illustrations add quite a bit to the poems: they contain all sorts of subtle allusions to the poem's content and references as well as other information not mentioned. For instance, the illustration of Venus shows names like Beethoven and Goya on the planet; did you know that there is a system for naming the various planetary elements on Venus after composers and other artists? The Roman gods are seen on their appropriate pages and so forth. End matter includes succinct, but reasonably complete factual introductions to the same objects that the poems discuss.

Note: end matter contains at least one mention of "millions" of years, but it's phrased that "scientists think..." and not as outright fact. Thus, I think this book could work in a public or Christian school library equally well.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book written in poetic form would be perfect for introducing a science unit on the solar system. I would use this book for a wide range of elementary age students. There is great factual information and vocabulary used in the poems. The pictures are great stylized representations of the plants.

My favorite part of this was the section on Pluto. First I was struck by the up-to-date information, then I laughed at how it was actually presented.
“Pluto was a planet.
But now it doesn’t pass.
Pluto was a planet.
They say it’s lacking mass.
Pluto was a planet.
Pluto was admired
Pluto was a planet.
Till one day it got fired.”

[Megan Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mar: Space Poems and Paintings is a very colorful and engaging poetry book. It has many different poems about space, the planets, and the universe. There are beautiful illustrations that go along with each poem as well. This pulls the reader in as they are reading the poems. This is a great book to introduce poetry to kids who are interested in space and the planets. In a classroom you could use this poetry book and connect it to your science classroom when learning about space and the planets. I think this would be a great book for grades Preschool-3. I am definitely adding this book to my classroom library!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of poems about all things related to space. The illustrations were really creative and unusual...my favorite part! The poems were a little "forced" but an interesting way to introduce astronomy to children! If you have a child interested in planets, black holes, comets, etc., this would be a really fun read! It is also a great way to help children remember facts about the planets, sun, moon, etc.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poetry is an amazing and in-depth exploration of outer space. It would be a great addition to a Kindergarten or first grade classroom for studying the solar system. Along with incredible visuals, this book also contains descriptions of all aspects of outer space with a lengthy glossary in the back. It is loaded with vocabulary words and touches on concepts from constellations to the galaxy to black holes and each of the planets and our moon!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to students the week of October 6, 2008. I enjoyed the poems about each of the planets and other space inhabitants. The students said they liked the cut-outs, and the poem about Mercury and the Comet. My favorite was about Jupiter. Voting wise: Really liked it 145, just okay 14, didn't like it 33.

[Brittany Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre- Poetry
Awards- None
Grade Level- 5-6

This book is a wonderful way to incorporate science and poetry together. This book is about the solar system. While teaching science you can also teach poetry to the class. A follow up activity would be to give the students each a planet and write their own poem on that planet based on their knowledge of their specific planet.

[McKinzie Elton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would use this book throughout the year, maybe reading one or two poems a week. For example, at the end of a lesson on the moon, I would read the moon page in this book. As a class we would brainstorm characteristics about the moon gleaned from the lesson and the poem. Students would then use those characteristics to write a poem about the moon and draw a picture.

[Gianna Mosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very astute poetry collection. The facts are current, the rhyme scheme accessible but varied, and it was perfect for our afternoon at the planetarium.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

(librarything)

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars is a collection of poetry about outer space. While reading this text you will take a journey through space, with poems about planets, galaxies, constellations, and more. With beautiful poems and illustrations you will forget that you’re reading a book full of information about space. The front cover gives a glimpse at the unique and surprise filled illustrations throughout the text.
The text is a collection of poetry on different objects in the universe, ranging from the sun to the black hole. The poems use tier two words, words that are more sophisticated and more nuanced words, like gaze, galore, and wane to name a few. These tier two words teach the reader not only space information, but also language and vocabulary. The poems themselves are light hearted and whimsical, while still being factual. While some of the poems rhymed and some did not, I felt that all the poems read with a natural cadence making reading them that much more enjoyable. The backmatter is extremely informational as it has a glossary on each of the objects that a poem was about giving more information and background on it. In addition there is also a bibliography provided. Don’t skip the backmatter! If you are going to though, at least flip to the back inside flap where Florian gives biographical information about himself and depicts himself as a green alien!
Florian’s illustrations truly bring the words in the poems to life. The illustrations are full bleed, double page drawing the reader in causing them to examine every aspect of the illustration before turning the page. The illustrations are comprised of beautiful, bright colors and textures with the use of cutouts and collages. On many of the pages there are cutouts of planets and within planets giving a sneak peak at what the next page holds. I could not take my eyes off the pages while reading.
This book uses poetry as a means of informing the reader of the wonders of outer space. I think this would be a great introduction to planets and outer space. I can definitely picture myself using it as a precursor to a lesson on the solar system in my classroom. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars is full of wonderful poems and is definitely worth a read.

[Stephanie Kromberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is out of this world! I have always been a sucker for poetry, and this book just adds to my excitement! I can see this book being used in my classroom during a science lesson. The cool colorful pages show accurate representations of the planets and stars. The poems have a rhythmic feel, and they are easy for children to understand. Each planet has its own poem describing its physical characteristics. The coolest part is that the illustrations of the planets have their moons circling around them. For example, Jupiter’s moons: Io, Callisto, Ganymede, and Eurora are circling around the illistration of Jupiter. Pluto even has its own sorrowful poem about not being a planet anymore. Another feature that is fascinating is the cutouts on the pages. Some pages have circle cutouts that look like different planets. There is also a “galactic glossary” in the back of the story which holds more information about each poem name, and how it fits into astronomy. The glossary works great because children may be curious about the different terms such as black holes, comets, and constellations. The illustrations in this book go along nicely with the poems. Some images are bright, while others have a dull look. I really like this feature because not everything in space is bright and fun; it gives it a raw feel.

This book is by far my favorite children’s poem book I have read. There are so many ways you can use this book to enhance a lesson. I can see myself implementing this book into my classroom someday!

[Lexie Wosk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I set a goal for myself that I was going to read more poetry this year to get out of my comfort zone. After reading Douglas Florian’s “Comet, Stars, the Moon, and Mars”, I was very satisfied that this was the reading I chose. The book includes beautiful, colorful and vibrant illustrations that include paper cut outs, flowing from one page to the next. Cut outs were always interesting to me when I was young and I always found them surprising and fun. While I read this book, it was like my inner child came out. The word choice of the poems is kid friendly and easy to understand. The rhymes throughout each poem describe informational, but exciting facts about outer space in an engaging way. I enjoy that the author identifies planets that the reader would most likely recognize, but includes facts that the reader can build their background knowledge off of. However, some of the vocabulary is tier 2 and would spark a child’s curiosity into understanding the galaxy and other aspects of space that may intrigue them. The ending of the book provides an easy to follow glossary that provides the reader with additional and interesting facts about the galaxy. I really enjoyed this text and I definitely would recommend it for a read aloud to k-3. Especially if you are wanting to relate it to an activity that involves the solar system afterwards, this would be a great jump start!

[Kelly Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Uranus. Counting up planets, Uranus is seven. Named for the Greek God, Uranus of heaven. Gaseous like Neptune, but slightly more wide. Heaven knows how it got knocked on its side." This book was very enjoyable for a variety of reasons. One being the book's rhyming, it wasn't predictable that for the end of every rhyme you knew what was coming next and every line didn't end in a rhyme. The balance of rhymes added to the flow of the writing without being overpowering. Another being the reference of other planets. Like in the quote stated above, Uranus is a gas planet. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars incorporates a lot of facts intertwined in fun poems. And the reference helps to make that connection that Uranus and Neptune are both gas planets. This next reason took a little longer to take note of but adds to the book, on various pages, there are circles cut-outs. I think they represent the different planets, so when turning the page and reading about the next planet, that circle represents the planet you just read about and the placement within the solar system. Something simple and small that adds to the whole book. Overall, a lot of fun to read, learning new and interesting facts.

[Connor Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was somewhat hesitant when I began reading Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars by Douglass Florian, but as soon as I opened the first page, and began reading, I was hooked. In the past, I have had trouble reading poetry because I could not understand how the stanzas connected together, but this poetic picture book was different. The stanzas almost seemed to flow together into one story, making it much easier to read.

The book itself is beautifully illustrated by Douglass Florian as well. He uses his painting to show the tone, as well as the temperature of the topic he writes about. For example, on the page with his poem, Venus, he begins with “scalding-hot surface” and he shows this through his illustrations with his use of yellow and orange. This can be seen throughout the book.

I think this book can be a great way to introduce poetry to a child, as it is easy to connect the stanzas to make sense of them. It is also a great informational story about our universe. I can see it being very useful before teaching a lesson about the planets and the universe. There is also some amazing glossary in the backmatter that gives information about the topic of every poem.

[Alyssa Wagor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would read this book to Kindergarten-1st. Beautiful illustrations accompany a series of poems that celebrate the wonder and mystery of space. From the universe, the sequence narrows its focus to the galaxy, solar system and then each body in turn, from the sun to Pluto, and beyond. The verse is playful, based around astronomical facts. Readers will learn about the temperature and size of the sun, the moon’s phases and the discovery of Neptune’s rings. Stamped words allow the illustrations to incorporate details as names of moons and “sun” in several different languages. Each poem receives a thumbnail gloss at the end, offering additional facts or extending the information presented earlier. The book travels through our solar system and ends up in the somewhat vaguer territory of comets, black holes and “the Great Beyond.” I would have students make the planets out of materials in the classroom.

[Bhebden Hebden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Florian, D. (2007). Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Harcourt, Inc. Grades 1-5.
Douglas Florian merges the language of poetic verse with his artistic vision to create images from space that seem to dance, swirl and float. His die-cut circles are used to entice the imagination as the reader peers through holes as if sneaking a glimpse of the universe. Florian’s playful illustrations capture the imagination of the young reader. His poetry seems magical as he swirls his lyrical words in sentence to create a galaxy: “A galaxy has stars galore: a million, billion, even more.” Take a closer look and you’ll find egg shaped, spiral, and elliptical galaxies suspended in space captivating the curiosity of every young astronomer. Florian mixes the old with the new by mixing prints with sketches as if to contrast the age of the universe with recent discovers. This book represents the perfect mix of poetry and art while teaching facts about “the great beyond.”

For classroom instruction, Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars serves multiple purposes as a resource to poetry study and writing connecting the power of images as they expand the meaning of text/poems. This book is an engaging kick off tool and supplement to outer space exploration and/or resource for STEM instruction.

Awards and Honors:
Horn Book Fanfare List - Best Books of 2007 Poetry
Kirkus Reviews - Best Children 's Books 2007

[Jacquelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book you travel through space learning more and more about what is beyond our planet. The poems mention constellations, planets, galaxies, stars, and many other exciting things throughout space. Where will you travel to next? The illustrations were beautiful. They did very well with making each page exciting to inspect. There were many little details hidden throughout these pages. The book focuses on the wonders of space and our important discoveries. I thought that this book was a very enjoyable read. The illustrations made each of the poems even more entertaining. I feel like this would be a great book to help introduce children to planets, and other fascinating things throughout space. I would say that this book’s target age group would be kindergarten-3rd grade.