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Why is The Moon Following Me?
Why is the Moon Following Me? is a series of fun, short poems for children to familiarize them with the story of early astronomy. Through the eyes of a curious child, we travel through time and encounter the discoveries of seven great thinkers from antiquity to the end of the Renaissance. Astronomy can be intimidating, even to adults, and this book is also for them, as a way to introduce their kids, and themselves, to some important key concepts.
44 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2014
409 people want to read
About the author
Emer Martin
13 books87 followersEmer Martin is a Dubliner who has lived in Paris, London, the Middle East, and various places in the U.S. Her first novel Breakfast in Babylon won Book of the Year 1996 in her native Ireland at the prestigious Listowel Writers’ Week. Houghton Mifflin released Breakfast in Babylon in the U.S. in 1997. More Bread Or I’ll Appear, her second novel was published internationally in 1999. Emer studied painting in New York and has had two sell-out solo shows of her paintings at the Origin Gallery in Harcourt St, Dublin. Her third novel Baby Zero, was published in the UK and Ireland March 07, and released in the U.S. 2014. She released her first children's book Why is the Moon Following Me? in 2013. Pooka is her latest book for Children released in 2016 She completed her third short film Unaccompanied. She produced Irvine Welsh’s directorial debut NUTS in 2007. Emer was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2000. She now lives between the two clashing worlds of the depths of Silicon Valley, CA and the jungles of Co. Meath, Ireland. Her latest novel is The Cruelty Men
Emer is an experienced public speaker and enjoys talking to book clubs, schools, libraries etc. To book her for an event please contact her at martin_emer@hotmail.com
Emer is an experienced public speaker and enjoys talking to book clubs, schools, libraries etc. To book her for an event please contact her at martin_emer@hotmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 5, 2014
O curious child, have you ever wondered what goes on up there in the sky?
It is easy to forget, when 21st century astronomers are mapping far-flung reaches of the universe (and we now know that our galaxy which contains billions of suns is only a tiny part of it), that less than four hundred years ago, even educated people were convinced that the earth was the centre of our solar system, and indeed of the universe itself.
This utterly enchanting book for children effortlessly tells the story of how mankind eventually discovered that Earth was indeed not the centre and HQ of the solar system.
Emer Martin, who wrote the delightful verse, Magdalena Zuljevic, who painted the beautiful illustrations, and Suzana Tulac, the scientist who wrote the biographies of the philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers, have hit on a perfect blend to bring astronomy to the young.
Zuljevic’s cover shown above is typical of the full page colour paintings which light up the book, and Martin’s verse is so wacky and witty and memorable, I’d be surprised if certain lines didn’t become catch-phrases among its young readers. For example, this is how she sums up how Copernicus had a hard time convincing people that the earth moves on its axis once a day:
“It’s really most fractious
To move on your axis.”
And here’s one for the budding scientist, which sums up the importance of Galileo who realised that experiments in science must be repeatable.
“All our work will be deniable
Unless our findings are reliable
for once a truth is found, it would be a shame
If we can never find that truth again.”
But perhaps my favourite is about Tycho Brae, the Dane who despite his passion for empirical thinking was indeed fractious.
“Working near Prague was a Dane named TYCHO
Who had a fight with his cousin that went a bit psycho.”
The third pillar of this charming work is Tulac’s biographies of these all too human thinkers, which are given in a few lines at the beginning to orient the reader, and then more fully at the end.
One of the reasons I hope Why is the Moon Following Me? is the huge success it deserves to be is that it might encourage its creators to produce a series. It is a rich field, and their combination of talents makes for a perfect and repeatable framework.
With the book we have, the young at heart can secretly fill in what they thought they knew while virtuously bringing an important part of their cultural and scientific heritage to the actually young in a most accessible and delightful way.
It is easy to forget, when 21st century astronomers are mapping far-flung reaches of the universe (and we now know that our galaxy which contains billions of suns is only a tiny part of it), that less than four hundred years ago, even educated people were convinced that the earth was the centre of our solar system, and indeed of the universe itself.
This utterly enchanting book for children effortlessly tells the story of how mankind eventually discovered that Earth was indeed not the centre and HQ of the solar system.
Emer Martin, who wrote the delightful verse, Magdalena Zuljevic, who painted the beautiful illustrations, and Suzana Tulac, the scientist who wrote the biographies of the philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers, have hit on a perfect blend to bring astronomy to the young.
Zuljevic’s cover shown above is typical of the full page colour paintings which light up the book, and Martin’s verse is so wacky and witty and memorable, I’d be surprised if certain lines didn’t become catch-phrases among its young readers. For example, this is how she sums up how Copernicus had a hard time convincing people that the earth moves on its axis once a day:
“It’s really most fractious
To move on your axis.”
And here’s one for the budding scientist, which sums up the importance of Galileo who realised that experiments in science must be repeatable.
“All our work will be deniable
Unless our findings are reliable
for once a truth is found, it would be a shame
If we can never find that truth again.”
But perhaps my favourite is about Tycho Brae, the Dane who despite his passion for empirical thinking was indeed fractious.
“Working near Prague was a Dane named TYCHO
Who had a fight with his cousin that went a bit psycho.”
The third pillar of this charming work is Tulac’s biographies of these all too human thinkers, which are given in a few lines at the beginning to orient the reader, and then more fully at the end.
One of the reasons I hope Why is the Moon Following Me? is the huge success it deserves to be is that it might encourage its creators to produce a series. It is a rich field, and their combination of talents makes for a perfect and repeatable framework.
With the book we have, the young at heart can secretly fill in what they thought they knew while virtuously bringing an important part of their cultural and scientific heritage to the actually young in a most accessible and delightful way.
October 6, 2014
It's a great book. Love the rhymes. This is a really good way of remembering science and astronomy in a painless fun fashion. The illustrations are great too. I'd say this book is for all ages. Little kids could have fun finding the mouse and the curious child on every page. Older kids would love the astronomers.
I like how Tycho gets his nose chopped off. But how did he keep his brass nose on? Something to think of. Did you know he had a pet elk, who lived in his house? He drank too much beer, the elk that is, and fell down the stairs and died!
The Galileo poem is really gripping and sad, love this line
The inquisition were a bunch of rotten stinkers,
But in this world there will always be free thinkers.
The more I read it the more the science sinks in.
This should be taught in schools, much better than most of the boring lectures kids have to listen to.
I like how Tycho gets his nose chopped off. But how did he keep his brass nose on? Something to think of. Did you know he had a pet elk, who lived in his house? He drank too much beer, the elk that is, and fell down the stairs and died!
The Galileo poem is really gripping and sad, love this line
The inquisition were a bunch of rotten stinkers,
But in this world there will always be free thinkers.
The more I read it the more the science sinks in.
This should be taught in schools, much better than most of the boring lectures kids have to listen to.
October 29, 2014
Why is the Moon Following me is a collection of poems for children that introduces stories of early astronomy. With the myriad of children's books out in the marketplace today, it is so refreshing to find such an interesting and educational topic. It is incredibly well written and I loved the inclusion of a dictionary for future reference and bios of important figures. The illustrations are simply magnificent and complements the words well! They are well thought out and so vibrant.
I absolutely loved this book. As an adult, even I managed to get something out of this book! I am so glad the three of you decided to collaborate on this project!
I absolutely loved this book. As an adult, even I managed to get something out of this book! I am so glad the three of you decided to collaborate on this project!
December 5, 2014
Why is The Moon Following Me is an absolutely charming book, brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated. It "un - denses" astronomy for kids and adults alike, in beautiful rhyme.
Emer Martin is a gifted writer who has wonderful intuition about what children enjoy.
Emer Martin is a gifted writer who has wonderful intuition about what children enjoy.
October 6, 2014
Awesome book:)!!! Somebody smart once said:'If you can not find the book you would like to read - write it yourself'!!! And then we did!!!
November 29, 2014
Goodreads winner. Thank you so much.
This book is small but mighty and fun. Never too early to start learning about astronomy and this book certainly fills that niche. It's a fantastic first book for an aspiring astronomer or to spark an interest in a curious child. What a great way to learn about seven great minds through a series of short poems beginning with Aristotle and ending with Johannes Kepler who explained planetary motion. The book is interesting and educational and ends with a dictionary and short but fact-filled biographies of these seven early astronomers. Beautiful clever illustrations. I highly recommend this book and hope that it is just the first of many done by this trio,authors and illustrator. This is the way children's science and science history should be taught.
This book is small but mighty and fun. Never too early to start learning about astronomy and this book certainly fills that niche. It's a fantastic first book for an aspiring astronomer or to spark an interest in a curious child. What a great way to learn about seven great minds through a series of short poems beginning with Aristotle and ending with Johannes Kepler who explained planetary motion. The book is interesting and educational and ends with a dictionary and short but fact-filled biographies of these seven early astronomers. Beautiful clever illustrations. I highly recommend this book and hope that it is just the first of many done by this trio,authors and illustrator. This is the way children's science and science history should be taught.
December 30, 2014
I bought this as a Christmas gift for one of the children I mind. He is six and asks the type of random unanswerables that six year olds ask. This book answers many of them in verse - it is informative without being didactic and teaches the child to use his noodle and work things out for himself. He loved the book but the best comment came from his 12 year old sister who read it and said 'I wish this book had benn around when I was six. I learned more from reading it than I've learned all year in school!' Highly recommended.
March 6, 2017
It is a fact that children ask more questions and are more curious than adults.
“Why is the Moon following me” is a question that still exists in children as well as adults. This book is series of short poems for children to familiarize them with the story of early astronomy and grown-ups as a way to introduce their kids to some important key concepts. However, the theories are intricate and so complicated that astronomy is barely taught to kids. But in this book you will find out that it has been simplify everything in a way that children and adults will understand, wrapped it up into a series of compelling poetry with stunning descriptions an images. The book takes the reader from humanity's earliest days in Africa through the European Renaissance and the work of Galileo, Kepler and others, with the character of "the curious child" acting as guide throughout.
“Why is the Moon following me” is a question that still exists in children as well as adults. This book is series of short poems for children to familiarize them with the story of early astronomy and grown-ups as a way to introduce their kids to some important key concepts. However, the theories are intricate and so complicated that astronomy is barely taught to kids. But in this book you will find out that it has been simplify everything in a way that children and adults will understand, wrapped it up into a series of compelling poetry with stunning descriptions an images. The book takes the reader from humanity's earliest days in Africa through the European Renaissance and the work of Galileo, Kepler and others, with the character of "the curious child" acting as guide throughout.
October 23, 2014
Fantastic illustration, great book for elementary kids that are passionate about Astronomy and want to learn more.
September 4, 2015
Long winded
Nice idea, but incredibly wordy. Almost became out of breath reading it. At least 1 typo I noticed. Good information, fairly easy to understand but very very wordy.
Nice idea, but incredibly wordy. Almost became out of breath reading it. At least 1 typo I noticed. Good information, fairly easy to understand but very very wordy.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews