Solar System Forecast

Astronomy

by Kelly Kizer Whitt, Laurie Allen Klein (Illustrator)

Below-freezing temperatures, scorching heat, and storms bigger than planet Earth are just some of the wild weather you will encounter on your trip through the solar system! Get your fun facts along with your forecast for each major planet, as well as a moon (Titan) and a dwarf planet (Pluto). Get ready for some out of this world fun with Solar System Forecast!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2012

Reviews

[Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and interesting

It was a fun way to present additional information over the each planet. The illustrations kept my eight year old interested and dreaming about traveling through the solar system.

[Kris Kizer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all!

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know what the weather is like on Mars today? Writing as if to space explorers who are going to travel throughout our solar system, author Kelly Kizer Whitt reports what the Solar Weather Channel says about the sun, speedy Mercury, sulfuric Venus, our own Earth, rust-colored Mars, huge Jupiter, ringed Saturn, Saturn’s largest moon Titan, calm Uranus, windy Neptune, and dwarf planet Pluto, with interesting facts about each of them. I do wish that there was some information on the asteroids. But one planet is called the Goldilocks planet—you know, like Little Bear’s porridge, not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Can you guess which one it is?

Most kids always enjoy reading about “outer space.” Some planets have below-freezing temperatures, others have scorching heat, and a few have storms bigger than the planet Earth. Budding astronomers can find out which ones have what while chuckling at the humorous drawings by illustrator Laurie Allen Klein. They will also like the “For Creative Minds” learning activities, which include a “Solar System Compare and Contrast” exercise, further information about “The Sun: Heat and Light,” and “Thinking It Through: Life and Basic Needs.” And there are even more free teaching activities at the publisher’s website. Did you know that because Mercury is so close to the sun, most of its atmosphere has been blown away by the solar wind?

[Mymcbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review: Time for the solar system forecast. If you plan to leave the house today please note that the solar system forecast hot, cold, windy, calm, rainy, dry, cloudy and clear weather. And because Mercury is close to the Sun it will get up to 800 degree weather. It’s going to be a windy day in Neptune as winds goes up to 1,500 miles per hour. While on Earth where it’s cold at the poles and warm at the equator, avoid the western Atlantic Ocean today where a hurricane is raging. And that’s today’s solar system forecast by green-skinned TV weather alien.

This is a fun and interesting learning picture book for children. Read about the solar system compare and contract, learn about the heat and the light from the Sun and many more. I highly recommend this book for classroom teaching.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I loved this book because it still included Pluto as a planet! I know officially it has been demoted, but since I grew up with it as a planet I just can't replace that thought. I was excited to read this to the kids and find that they still had far off pluto. The weather on each planet is described and it really helps the kids get a feel for why earth is the only planet we can live on. The book was written in a very understandable way for kids ages 4-8 and a bit older. I know my 10 year old also really enjoyed this book and many of the teacher activities would be right up his alley.



Beautiful illustrations help you to visualize what the planet and weather may really be like. Bright and colorful, Laurie Allen Klein has done a fantastic job with all of the details.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this book would confuse its targeted audience of young readers. It uses a weather forecast metaphor to explain the weather on other planets, and points for creativity on that, but shows a girl packing a bikini for Mercury's 800 degree weather, or using an umbrella for the methane rain of Saturn. I don't think the metaphor works. It also shows an astronaut in space holding a plate with a muffin on it... wouldn't the muffin be floating away? Maybe I'm just not suspending my disbelief here, but I don't know if my students would understand that these are all jokes, and might take it seriously.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young readers learn interesting facts about space and the planets through the advice of a weather forecaster. Clearly, preparing for a sojourn on Mercury would be challenging with 800 degree temperatures during the day and -279 degree temperatures during the day. Young readers will laugh at some of the illustrations, especially the final one depicting the forecaster who may not look like anyone they know. The book contains activities to stretch students' minds and help them apply what they learned while they read the book.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the eight planets portrayed as if you were going to travel there.