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What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky
A richly illustrated guide to the myths, histories, and science of the celestial bodies of our solar system, with stories and information about constellations, planets, comets, the northern lights, and more.
Combining art, mythology, and science, What We See in the Stars gives readers a tour of the night sky through more than 100 magical pieces of original art, all accompanied by text that weaves related legends and lore with scientific facts. This beautifully packaged book covers the night sky's most brilliant features--such as the constellations, the moon, the bright stars, and the visible planets--as well as less familiar celestial phenomena like the outer planets, nebulae, and deep space. Adults seeking to recapture the magic of youthful stargazing, younger readers interested in learning about natural history and outer space, and those who appreciate beautiful, hand-painted art will all delight in this charming book.
Combining art, mythology, and science, What We See in the Stars gives readers a tour of the night sky through more than 100 magical pieces of original art, all accompanied by text that weaves related legends and lore with scientific facts. This beautifully packaged book covers the night sky's most brilliant features--such as the constellations, the moon, the bright stars, and the visible planets--as well as less familiar celestial phenomena like the outer planets, nebulae, and deep space. Adults seeking to recapture the magic of youthful stargazing, younger readers interested in learning about natural history and outer space, and those who appreciate beautiful, hand-painted art will all delight in this charming book.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2017
142 people are currently reading
4157 people want to read
About the author
Kelsey Oseid
23 books34 followersKelsey Oseid is an illustrator, painter, artist, and amateur naturalist. She has illustrated a variety of children's books and runs an online shop where she sells prints and original pieces of her nature-themed work. Her work has been featured on Design*Sponge, Oh So Beautiful Paper, Everglow Handmade, and in magazines like Organic Life, Anthology, and Good Housekeeping. She is the author of What We See in the Stars and Whales- An Illustrated Celebration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
September 30, 2017
We took a family trip to a planetarium last year. The boy child swears that I liked it the most of anyone in the family. (I totally did) But it did give us the 'want to know more' when it comes to looking up at the stars. I snatched up this book when given a chance.
It has images of the constellations...
With little tidbits about each.
A section on the moon.
The sun.
The planets.
Cute little guidebook!
Booksource: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review
It has images of the constellations...
With little tidbits about each.
A section on the moon.
The sun.
The planets.
Cute little guidebook!
Booksource: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review
May 7, 2017
Do you remember looking up at the stars as a kid, being told that is Orion's Belt, Casiopea's Chair or that is the Big Dipper, and all you could see were stars, not the picture the names suggested. And when you looked at reference books, they weren't much better help.
This book is for the kid in us, as well as kids today. It is so cool. Well researched, well documented, and lovely pictures, showing which stars are supposed to represent what parts of the constellation. There is also a little bit of history, and what the brightest star is. This last bit is important, because depending on the light pollution in the area you are in, you might only be able to see the brightest star.
Each major constellation is written about, both ancient as well as modern. But, wait, there is more. This book also covers the Milky Way, the Sun and the phases of the moon.
The only failing is that there is not a large foldout start chart showing where to find all the stars, although that would be rather hard, because it is different depending where you are in the world.
Highly recommend this book for classrooms, libraries and personal homes.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This book is for the kid in us, as well as kids today. It is so cool. Well researched, well documented, and lovely pictures, showing which stars are supposed to represent what parts of the constellation. There is also a little bit of history, and what the brightest star is. This last bit is important, because depending on the light pollution in the area you are in, you might only be able to see the brightest star.
Each major constellation is written about, both ancient as well as modern. But, wait, there is more. This book also covers the Milky Way, the Sun and the phases of the moon.
The only failing is that there is not a large foldout start chart showing where to find all the stars, although that would be rather hard, because it is different depending where you are in the world.
Highly recommend this book for classrooms, libraries and personal homes.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
September 14, 2024
Miałam obawy przy zakupie, że to będzie coś typowo dla dzieciaków, ale nie! Wbrew pozorom książka w ogóle nie jest dla dzieci, przynajmniej nie dla tych młodszych. Mamy tu całkiem sporo ciekawych i konkretnych informacji przede wszystkim o gwiazdozbiorach, następnie o planetach i całej reszcie widocznej na niebie. Taki kosmos w pigułce. Książka ma przemyślany układ przez co przyciąga i utrzymuje uwagę. Oczywiście nie byłoby efekty bez wspaniałej oprawy graficznej. Od okładki, po wklejkę przez przeogromną ilość ilustracji w pięknym i spójnym stylu oraz kolorystyce. Sama przyjemność z przeglądania i czytania. Idealna na prezent dla fana astronomii, również tego starszego.
November 2, 2017
My word, this book is, first and foremost, STUNNING. The artwork is by far the loveliest I have ever seen in a nonfiction title. Even if you aren't interested in the stars and learning about constellations, I cannot recommend this book enough as a "coffee table" book - one of those that you pick up just to leave sitting out like interactive artwork, because your guests will pick it up, and "oooh" and "ahhh" and positively rave about it.
On to the actual content of the book, if you're at all interested in learning about the stars and space, this would be a great, easy introduction to the topic. Not only are there illustrations of each constellation, but there are also tidbits of history, as well as tips on how to find the brightest star in each one and locate that specific constellation. I learned so much and it made me really eager for the next clear night sky, so that I can go somewhere plenty dark and try to find some of the new stars I learned about!
Thank you so much to Blogging For Books for providing me with this incredible finished copy in exchange for my honest review!
On to the actual content of the book, if you're at all interested in learning about the stars and space, this would be a great, easy introduction to the topic. Not only are there illustrations of each constellation, but there are also tidbits of history, as well as tips on how to find the brightest star in each one and locate that specific constellation. I learned so much and it made me really eager for the next clear night sky, so that I can go somewhere plenty dark and try to find some of the new stars I learned about!
Thank you so much to Blogging For Books for providing me with this incredible finished copy in exchange for my honest review!
March 17, 2018
Beautiful artwork, nice origin description for the planets, constellations and stars , it includes links between names and the mythology behind them . Basic introduction to astronomy introduced in a beautiful format , highly recommend it to anyone who wants an easy intro into such a complex topic.
November 12, 2017
What We See in the Stars is a fun and educational book about space. I knew before opening this book by Kelsey Oseid that it would be a book full of gorgeous, mainly blue-and-grey watercolor-like illustrations of the sky and all that it contains.
But I wasn’t expecting it to teach me as much as it did. I expected more of a coffee-table book on the stars—beautiful, but telling me things I mostly knew. I was wrong. This book taught me a lot that I didn’t know about the night sky and how we understand space. It dove into Ptolemy’s contributions, and thought me the scientific definition of a constellation, describing which constellations are backed by science and what kind of stars and systems take up those spaces in the sky. It taught me that our North Star will change based on a 26,000-year cycle of the tilt of earth’s axis, and that in the time of ancient Egypt, the North Star was Thuban in the constellation of Draco, not Polaris—and in 21,000 years, it will be Thuban again. It turns out that a lot of planets’ moon and crater names are themed: Venus has craters all named after famous women and female goddesses, including Lakshmi and Tubman, and the moons of Uranus are all named after Shakespearean characters. I highly recommend this book—it is both beautiful and will teach any reader something new about the sky above our heads.
But I wasn’t expecting it to teach me as much as it did. I expected more of a coffee-table book on the stars—beautiful, but telling me things I mostly knew. I was wrong. This book taught me a lot that I didn’t know about the night sky and how we understand space. It dove into Ptolemy’s contributions, and thought me the scientific definition of a constellation, describing which constellations are backed by science and what kind of stars and systems take up those spaces in the sky. It taught me that our North Star will change based on a 26,000-year cycle of the tilt of earth’s axis, and that in the time of ancient Egypt, the North Star was Thuban in the constellation of Draco, not Polaris—and in 21,000 years, it will be Thuban again. It turns out that a lot of planets’ moon and crater names are themed: Venus has craters all named after famous women and female goddesses, including Lakshmi and Tubman, and the moons of Uranus are all named after Shakespearean characters. I highly recommend this book—it is both beautiful and will teach any reader something new about the sky above our heads.
November 12, 2018
I'm sooo interested in Astronomy! I love the moons and stars. I adore the night sky. So when I saw my library had this book on order and that the book is illustrated I had to read it. I'm so glad I did. Just look at the cover. It's a super quick read. I'm currently dying of a cold and so I laid in bed and just started reading. Such interesting facts are presented as well. It's not exactly for little kids, but they will enjoy the illustrations. I like this book too because even if you know nothing about Astronomy it doesn't matter because the book explains everything so everyone can understand.
PS I'm still sad Pluto is not a planet
PS I'm still sad Pluto is not a planet
May 10, 2018
Difficult to get through the first section about the various constellations, it was unbelievably boring, it was like reading a list of dull facts on the back of a cereal packet. The illustrations were fantastic though and the second half about the moon, planets, and solar system were more interestingly written. Overall though, it was rather boring and dry.
September 9, 2023
I LOVE YOU ❤
December 8, 2017
4.5 Stars
What We See in the Stars is a nice little table book filled with incredible art and tons of info about our solar system, the stars beyond and our curiosity.
I initially requested this because I am a bit of a space geek. I never get tired of learning about the universe, and even when it’s material I already know I have an unending appetite for it. What We See in the Stars was a book that I already knew I would like, but it turned out to be once I seriously loved. The info inside is great for those new to astronomy (young and old alike) and for those like me who really enjoy all things space. Oseid takes the time to explain all the terms, explain the constellations and shed some light on distant stars. There are seven overall sections in this book: The Constellations, The Milky Way, The Moon, The Sun, The Planets, Asteroids Comets & Meteors, and Deep Space. There is a ton of info in this tiny book!
What keeps this book from being like so many others of the same nature is the art, which is stunning. Nearly every page has an illustration of some sort and in some cases, the pages themselves are painted like the night sky. It turns a really accessible, easy to read book about the universe around us into something that is perfect for kids and for display.
I’m really loving these illustrated info books that Ten Speed keeps producing, and I hope they continue to do so especially for history and science subjects.
What We See in the Stars is a nice little table book filled with incredible art and tons of info about our solar system, the stars beyond and our curiosity.
I initially requested this because I am a bit of a space geek. I never get tired of learning about the universe, and even when it’s material I already know I have an unending appetite for it. What We See in the Stars was a book that I already knew I would like, but it turned out to be once I seriously loved. The info inside is great for those new to astronomy (young and old alike) and for those like me who really enjoy all things space. Oseid takes the time to explain all the terms, explain the constellations and shed some light on distant stars. There are seven overall sections in this book: The Constellations, The Milky Way, The Moon, The Sun, The Planets, Asteroids Comets & Meteors, and Deep Space. There is a ton of info in this tiny book!
What keeps this book from being like so many others of the same nature is the art, which is stunning. Nearly every page has an illustration of some sort and in some cases, the pages themselves are painted like the night sky. It turns a really accessible, easy to read book about the universe around us into something that is perfect for kids and for display.
I’m really loving these illustrated info books that Ten Speed keeps producing, and I hope they continue to do so especially for history and science subjects.
November 27, 2017
What We See in the Stars took me by surprise. Because I had not seen this book in person before its arrival on my doorstep, I really didn’t know what to expect. Let me tell you this… What We See in the Stars is a gorgeous book. The cover is richly illustrated with beautifully drawn constellations and specs of shimmery stars. It is heavy, it has a lot of content, and as I flipped through the pages, I knew I was in for a treat!
Go ahead… judge this book by its cover.
Admittedly, I am not a space buff but my husband is. But I could be! What We See in the Stars is the perfect introduction to so many elements of space and is written in such a way that genuinely piqued my interest. I could really get into this! And while there is a lot of content in these pages, it doesn’t get dry or boring. Meaning – there isn’t so much detail that it reads like some type of advanced Science book. What We See in the Stars is art and intro with a bang!
You’ll get a lot more out of What We See in the Stars than just the basics. Divided up into beautifully illustrated segments, the reader is taken on a journey through: the Constellations, the Milky Way, the Moon, the Sun, the Planets, Asteroids, Comets & Meteors, and Deep Space. And within each of these segments (chapters), Kelsey Oseid takes the reader down finer, more detailed paths – explaining and illustrating just how majestic our night’s sky truly is.
What We See in the Stars is the perfect gift for anyone who may have an interest in space or even just art. Young people, older people – this book is really for anyone. I even plan to share this one with my kiddo!
Thank you to Blogging for Books and Ten Speed Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
Go ahead… judge this book by its cover.
Admittedly, I am not a space buff but my husband is. But I could be! What We See in the Stars is the perfect introduction to so many elements of space and is written in such a way that genuinely piqued my interest. I could really get into this! And while there is a lot of content in these pages, it doesn’t get dry or boring. Meaning – there isn’t so much detail that it reads like some type of advanced Science book. What We See in the Stars is art and intro with a bang!
You’ll get a lot more out of What We See in the Stars than just the basics. Divided up into beautifully illustrated segments, the reader is taken on a journey through: the Constellations, the Milky Way, the Moon, the Sun, the Planets, Asteroids, Comets & Meteors, and Deep Space. And within each of these segments (chapters), Kelsey Oseid takes the reader down finer, more detailed paths – explaining and illustrating just how majestic our night’s sky truly is.
What We See in the Stars is the perfect gift for anyone who may have an interest in space or even just art. Young people, older people – this book is really for anyone. I even plan to share this one with my kiddo!
Thank you to Blogging for Books and Ten Speed Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
August 28, 2018
This book.
What a masterpiece.
I’m completely in love with it.
To begin with the artwork in this book is extremely gorgeous. It’s simple, airy, earthy, mystical and just beautiful. I’m so glad that we are doing illustrated books for adults! Why only do them for children if we, adults, love as well illustration and to see beautiful things? The images are so creative and clever, I was absolutely astonished with the graphic quality of this book.
And the second part I think is genius is the content. This book is what is telling us it is: an illustrated guide of the night sky. It’s not for children, even tough some of them may understand and love this book. The author, and illustrator, goes trough a bunch of different subjects concerning our sky from what we see to what there is (the space and outer space). The narrative is brilliant and the way she puts information is clear, even when she puts scientific information. Every thing is very well explained.
I was marveled to see how she combined illustration, scientific information, story telling, history and one of my favorite things: mythology that surrounds the night sky!
This book is full of wonder, facts, stories and curiosities. And it’s beautiful and sensitive!
Every time I read a part of this book I was filled with curiosity, desire to learn more and that child feel of wonder.
I loved every aspect of it and recommend it deeply ♥️
What a masterpiece.
I’m completely in love with it.
To begin with the artwork in this book is extremely gorgeous. It’s simple, airy, earthy, mystical and just beautiful. I’m so glad that we are doing illustrated books for adults! Why only do them for children if we, adults, love as well illustration and to see beautiful things? The images are so creative and clever, I was absolutely astonished with the graphic quality of this book.
And the second part I think is genius is the content. This book is what is telling us it is: an illustrated guide of the night sky. It’s not for children, even tough some of them may understand and love this book. The author, and illustrator, goes trough a bunch of different subjects concerning our sky from what we see to what there is (the space and outer space). The narrative is brilliant and the way she puts information is clear, even when she puts scientific information. Every thing is very well explained.
I was marveled to see how she combined illustration, scientific information, story telling, history and one of my favorite things: mythology that surrounds the night sky!
This book is full of wonder, facts, stories and curiosities. And it’s beautiful and sensitive!
Every time I read a part of this book I was filled with curiosity, desire to learn more and that child feel of wonder.
I loved every aspect of it and recommend it deeply ♥️
June 20, 2020
First thing first, I liked this book because it blends my two most favorite topics Astronomy and Mythology and the book is illustrated.
Now, this book can be taken as a short glossary for Astronomy. It is limited with the naming of the constellations, the shape and story behind the name of the constellations and linking it with Mythology (if there any). The information on how Roman, Greek and a few Norse myth characters are used in the naming of the constellations, stars and planets greatly amuses me as an avid reader of mythology.
The second part tells you about the sun, the moon, it says a lot about the moon, the lunar phases, tells you about the new moon, the dark moon, the full moon, the blue moon and the name of the first full moon of every calender months. Then brief information on eight planets, comets, meteors, asteroids. I never knew the difference meteoroid, meteor and meteorite! The book never goes beyond the solar system and ends with the Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2 missions and the legendary Fermi Paradox. The Voyager 1 should remind you the infamous Pale Blue Dot image the Carl Sagan speech,
This book is well researched and will be my go-to-book for recalling information on stuff I like. Wish to buy a hardcopy someday!
Now, this book can be taken as a short glossary for Astronomy. It is limited with the naming of the constellations, the shape and story behind the name of the constellations and linking it with Mythology (if there any). The information on how Roman, Greek and a few Norse myth characters are used in the naming of the constellations, stars and planets greatly amuses me as an avid reader of mythology.
The second part tells you about the sun, the moon, it says a lot about the moon, the lunar phases, tells you about the new moon, the dark moon, the full moon, the blue moon and the name of the first full moon of every calender months. Then brief information on eight planets, comets, meteors, asteroids. I never knew the difference meteoroid, meteor and meteorite! The book never goes beyond the solar system and ends with the Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2 missions and the legendary Fermi Paradox. The Voyager 1 should remind you the infamous Pale Blue Dot image the Carl Sagan speech,
"Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us....The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena.... To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."
This book is well researched and will be my go-to-book for recalling information on stuff I like. Wish to buy a hardcopy someday!
October 7, 2017
Oseid’s work is comprehensive in scope, but simple in format. In her introduction to the constellations, she provides a general overview of constellations and their relation to humans throughout history. For instance, most of the constellations’ names are mythologically based because Ptolemy (the second century philosopher who named them) was Greco-Egyptian. And did you know that what we consider constellations are actually asterisms? And that Islamic scholars named stars during the medieval period, which was also the “Islamic Golden Age”? Oseid also places key terms in bold type, making it easy for readers to locate definitions that they want to reread later.
Each of the ancient constellations receives a full-page layout, which includes a description of its placement in the cosmos and other interesting pieces of trivia. Aquila, for instance, crops up numerous times as an eagle in Greek mythology; it is also one of the stars closest to Earth. Pegasus, on the other hand, represents the seventh largest constellation. And Libra contains “a potentially habitable exoplanet.” Celestial illustrations accompany the text, which is generally limited to two paragraphs.
Halfway through the book, Oseid introduces readers to the modern constellations, which number thirty-eight in total. These star formations are divided into three sections: those named after tools, those named after animals, and those named after miscellaneous items. The illustrations for these constellations are smaller and appear two, three, or four to a page, with a succinct description to accompany each name. Moving beyond the stars, Oseid then discusses the sun, moon, planets and more!
What We See in the Stars is a physically attractive book. The cover features illustrations of the constellations—colored in shades of blue—with metallic dots set among them to trace the stars’ actual pattern. The book’s dimensions (approximately eight inches by eight inches) lend to easy handling. Thanks to the hardcover format and the pages woven into the spine, it should withstand years of use.
The contents of this book exceed expectation. The cover/title suggests that the book is just about the constellations. However, Oseid also explores the moon (including a two-page spread showing its phases, the sun and its eclipses, the planets (each with its own full-page illustration), and other phenomena such as comets. In addition to exploring the nighttime sky, Oseid’s book doubles as a general overview of Greek mythology. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review.
Each of the ancient constellations receives a full-page layout, which includes a description of its placement in the cosmos and other interesting pieces of trivia. Aquila, for instance, crops up numerous times as an eagle in Greek mythology; it is also one of the stars closest to Earth. Pegasus, on the other hand, represents the seventh largest constellation. And Libra contains “a potentially habitable exoplanet.” Celestial illustrations accompany the text, which is generally limited to two paragraphs.
Halfway through the book, Oseid introduces readers to the modern constellations, which number thirty-eight in total. These star formations are divided into three sections: those named after tools, those named after animals, and those named after miscellaneous items. The illustrations for these constellations are smaller and appear two, three, or four to a page, with a succinct description to accompany each name. Moving beyond the stars, Oseid then discusses the sun, moon, planets and more!
What We See in the Stars is a physically attractive book. The cover features illustrations of the constellations—colored in shades of blue—with metallic dots set among them to trace the stars’ actual pattern. The book’s dimensions (approximately eight inches by eight inches) lend to easy handling. Thanks to the hardcover format and the pages woven into the spine, it should withstand years of use.
The contents of this book exceed expectation. The cover/title suggests that the book is just about the constellations. However, Oseid also explores the moon (including a two-page spread showing its phases, the sun and its eclipses, the planets (each with its own full-page illustration), and other phenomena such as comets. In addition to exploring the nighttime sky, Oseid’s book doubles as a general overview of Greek mythology. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2017
3.5 stars.
First up: The illustrations in this are gorgeous. The short paint strokes and the various shades of blue really capture the depth of space. I can only imagine how awesome they will look on the printed page, especially if glossy ink/paper is used.
Overall, the information presented in this book is an excellent introduction to the constellations, planets, and other aspects of our universe. I found myself constantly comparing it to H.A. Rey’s The Stars –much of the information here is similar to what’s presented in Rey’s book, but Oseid’s presentation is a bit more simplistic and a better jumping off point for younger audiences.
The book’s main selling point, the overview of constellations, are well done, but I had a few peeves with them. Each of the major constellations gets a page with an illustration of the constellation, and a brief rundown of the mythological story(ies) behind it and some mentions of deep space objects contained within the constellation. However, each constellation is presented by itself against a general background, with no other constellations surrounding it. Additionally, none of the deep space objects mentioned are pointed to in the drawing. It was also a bit odd that there was not even a sky chart overview, showing the constellations of both hemispheres, to at least provide some basic orienting. Northern and Southern constellations were also not distinguished in this section, which could be confusing for some readers.
The rest of the book provides a general overview of each of the planets, meteors and asteroids and comets, and deep space. These sections provide excellent jumping off points for research about the topics–I know I would have loved this as a source when I did some Solar System reports in grade school!
While I still prefer Rey’s book to this, this is an excellent “beginner Rey” book to give to younger kids, especially if they need a source for a report. It’s also just lovely to look at, so it would make a pretty companion to any astronomy shelf.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
First up: The illustrations in this are gorgeous. The short paint strokes and the various shades of blue really capture the depth of space. I can only imagine how awesome they will look on the printed page, especially if glossy ink/paper is used.
Overall, the information presented in this book is an excellent introduction to the constellations, planets, and other aspects of our universe. I found myself constantly comparing it to H.A. Rey’s The Stars –much of the information here is similar to what’s presented in Rey’s book, but Oseid’s presentation is a bit more simplistic and a better jumping off point for younger audiences.
The book’s main selling point, the overview of constellations, are well done, but I had a few peeves with them. Each of the major constellations gets a page with an illustration of the constellation, and a brief rundown of the mythological story(ies) behind it and some mentions of deep space objects contained within the constellation. However, each constellation is presented by itself against a general background, with no other constellations surrounding it. Additionally, none of the deep space objects mentioned are pointed to in the drawing. It was also a bit odd that there was not even a sky chart overview, showing the constellations of both hemispheres, to at least provide some basic orienting. Northern and Southern constellations were also not distinguished in this section, which could be confusing for some readers.
The rest of the book provides a general overview of each of the planets, meteors and asteroids and comets, and deep space. These sections provide excellent jumping off points for research about the topics–I know I would have loved this as a source when I did some Solar System reports in grade school!
While I still prefer Rey’s book to this, this is an excellent “beginner Rey” book to give to younger kids, especially if they need a source for a report. It’s also just lovely to look at, so it would make a pretty companion to any astronomy shelf.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
November 7, 2017
Kids that like outer space, astronomy, stars, and constellations will love exploring the night sky with What We See in the Stars by Kelsey Oseid.
My kids and I enjoyed several things about this book.
It's Beautifully Illustrated.
If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll know I'm a sucker for pretty art. The illustrations in this book are gorgeous.
And it's illustrated all the way through. It's not just a picture here and there. Every page has art on it, which makes the book more engaging and visually pleasing.
It's Informative.
While it IS beautiful, that's not all it has to offer. What We See in the Stars is full of fascinating facts, information, and history behind the night sky.
Learn everything from constellations and history to planets and phases of the moon. There's even a section about comets and meteors. A large portion of the book is dedicated to constellations, facts about them, and the stories behind them.
It's Interesting.
Nonfiction books have progressed in leaps and bounds in recent years, and this is a great example of that progress. Just because it's informative doesn't mean it has to be boring.
Kids (and adults) that are interested in the night sky will easily find themselves engrossed in this book. It's easy to peruse, but it's also easy to get lost in.
My kids and I enjoyed several things about this book.
It's Beautifully Illustrated.
If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll know I'm a sucker for pretty art. The illustrations in this book are gorgeous.
And it's illustrated all the way through. It's not just a picture here and there. Every page has art on it, which makes the book more engaging and visually pleasing.
It's Informative.
While it IS beautiful, that's not all it has to offer. What We See in the Stars is full of fascinating facts, information, and history behind the night sky.
Learn everything from constellations and history to planets and phases of the moon. There's even a section about comets and meteors. A large portion of the book is dedicated to constellations, facts about them, and the stories behind them.
It's Interesting.
Nonfiction books have progressed in leaps and bounds in recent years, and this is a great example of that progress. Just because it's informative doesn't mean it has to be boring.
Kids (and adults) that are interested in the night sky will easily find themselves engrossed in this book. It's easy to peruse, but it's also easy to get lost in.
February 21, 2018
Structured like a (highly aesthetic) reference book, it’s accessibly written and presents a good and soft introduction to astronomy. A good mix of astronomical, historical and cultural facts. Just the astronomy book I wanted and needed in my life.
February 11, 2022
Ho fin troppi libri a tema astronomico (e astrologico), ma non me ne importa nulla e continuerò a comprarne lo stesso perché sì. Ognuno ha i suoi hobby. Aspetto ancora una chiamata dalla NASA.
Questo piccolo libricino è molto semplificato, adatto a un pubblico giovane o per chi ama collezionare libri illustrati. Infatti, il suo punto forte è proprio la grafica ben ragionata ed eseguita. A causa delle tonalità che passano dal blu al nero, dello stile grezzo dei disegni e dei punti luce, si ha sempre l’impressione di osservare una notte stellata e, dato il tema, ha vinto il jackpot. È quindi facile perdersi tra le pagine, scrutando costellazioni, pianeti e molto altro.
Non offrirà informazioni fuori dall’ordinario, anche se mi ha ricordato il connubio tra stelle e arabo, ma svolge il suo dovere con eccellenza, risultando una gioia per gli occhi.
E per il naso.
Seriamente, non so che colla hanno usato, ma ha un odore buonissimo.
Questo piccolo libricino è molto semplificato, adatto a un pubblico giovane o per chi ama collezionare libri illustrati. Infatti, il suo punto forte è proprio la grafica ben ragionata ed eseguita. A causa delle tonalità che passano dal blu al nero, dello stile grezzo dei disegni e dei punti luce, si ha sempre l’impressione di osservare una notte stellata e, dato il tema, ha vinto il jackpot. È quindi facile perdersi tra le pagine, scrutando costellazioni, pianeti e molto altro.
Non offrirà informazioni fuori dall’ordinario, anche se mi ha ricordato il connubio tra stelle e arabo, ma svolge il suo dovere con eccellenza, risultando una gioia per gli occhi.
E per il naso.
Seriamente, non so che colla hanno usato, ma ha un odore buonissimo.
December 30, 2023
Very pretty and nice illustrated guide for children (and grown ups) to observe the sky. Constellations are shown here and some of the folk tales associated with stars.
It has blue-black-white colour scheme throughout the whole book.
I recommend. Gave this book for a gift to my 9 year old nephew and he was drawn to it too.
It has blue-black-white colour scheme throughout the whole book.
I recommend. Gave this book for a gift to my 9 year old nephew and he was drawn to it too.
January 11, 2019
This BOOK... is a piece of artwork! Every page is absolutely mesmerizing!!!
January 30, 2019
Read this review and others on my blog: https://thriftybibliophile.com
What We Read in the Stars is an astronomer lover’s delight. From constellations, planets, to deep space, this book touches on several space-related topics and follows it up with stunning illustrations.
Even if you have no interest in astronomy, this book is serious eye candy. The illustrations are beautiful and mesmerizing. I enjoyed reading about the different topics and then ogling over the corresponding illustrations.
The information in this book is great, though high level. This is more of a coffee table book, not a deep dive into the ins and outs of outer space. My favorite section is the constellations. I would have never associated some of the star patterns with what they’re named for. Former star gazers and scientists have great imaginations!
I would absolutely recommend this book to others. More than anything, I think this book would make a great gift, suitable for older kids through adults.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
What We Read in the Stars is an astronomer lover’s delight. From constellations, planets, to deep space, this book touches on several space-related topics and follows it up with stunning illustrations.
Even if you have no interest in astronomy, this book is serious eye candy. The illustrations are beautiful and mesmerizing. I enjoyed reading about the different topics and then ogling over the corresponding illustrations.
The information in this book is great, though high level. This is more of a coffee table book, not a deep dive into the ins and outs of outer space. My favorite section is the constellations. I would have never associated some of the star patterns with what they’re named for. Former star gazers and scientists have great imaginations!
I would absolutely recommend this book to others. More than anything, I think this book would make a great gift, suitable for older kids through adults.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
Read
April 11, 2021beautifully illustrated, educational, and it made me just want to go sit outside for a few hours in the dark stargazing, which I don't do often enough even though I live in the country and can see them whenever I want
November 20, 2017
A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review WIP
Review WIP
February 21, 2018
***Actual Star Rating: 3.75***
When I first got the book and just skimmed through it this book seemed to be one of those that I would truly enjoy. The beauty of the cover with silver foil denoting the stars, the combination of mythoi and science as well as the beautiful artwork is a winning combination for a book that searches our universe. Unfortunately the promise of the book didn't stay strong for me and it soon ended up losing its attraction after a while.
The book does a wonderful job in being organized alphabetically when it goes deeper into such studies of the constellations whether it was Ptolemy's or those that came afterwards. As such with the original constellations a page was dedicated to the original constellation and the name was provided as well as in a separate bubble the name of the brightest star and if there was another Arabic name that one as well. This was then followed by a small paragraph that explained the myth that lended its name to the constellation, other connections to other nearby constellations and what the Arabic name may have meant.
From there the book does a quick dive into the added constellations before taking the reader on a deeper exploration of the moon, the sun and the other "8" planets of the universe before searching other deep space phenomena. For the most part the information provided was easy to understand although there was no pronunciation guide for some of the harder to pronounce names thus younger readers may need adult assistance to be able to pronounce some of these trickier ones.
Other problems I had was the fact that one of the constellations was mentioned only due to it being politically incorrect and a suggested name change should be in place if you ask the author. Although the name was Indus and was for Indian I would love to know the reason why the name Indus was chosen since there is an Indus river.
And finally my ultimate bone is the fact that the author chose to go with the "8" planets and thus supporting the demotion of Pluto. Pluto will always be a planet for me and the whole denotation of dwarf is just an adjective in the end. It did tickle me that Pluto was at least mentioned twice even though it is just suppose to be a frozen pebble floating around and that fact that asteroids were also having problems being categorized then renamed just proves that they have no idea what they are doing with demoting planets or "categorizing" their finds when it comes to space.
All in all this is a great book to have around if you are interested in space or even introductory astrology. As such it would be a treasured gift for amateurs who like the stars or even for those who enjoy knowing the mythoi stories as they are related to the stars but if you are a fan of Pluto than this can be a nice little read before passing onto more supportive books.
When I first got the book and just skimmed through it this book seemed to be one of those that I would truly enjoy. The beauty of the cover with silver foil denoting the stars, the combination of mythoi and science as well as the beautiful artwork is a winning combination for a book that searches our universe. Unfortunately the promise of the book didn't stay strong for me and it soon ended up losing its attraction after a while.
The book does a wonderful job in being organized alphabetically when it goes deeper into such studies of the constellations whether it was Ptolemy's or those that came afterwards. As such with the original constellations a page was dedicated to the original constellation and the name was provided as well as in a separate bubble the name of the brightest star and if there was another Arabic name that one as well. This was then followed by a small paragraph that explained the myth that lended its name to the constellation, other connections to other nearby constellations and what the Arabic name may have meant.
From there the book does a quick dive into the added constellations before taking the reader on a deeper exploration of the moon, the sun and the other "8" planets of the universe before searching other deep space phenomena. For the most part the information provided was easy to understand although there was no pronunciation guide for some of the harder to pronounce names thus younger readers may need adult assistance to be able to pronounce some of these trickier ones.
Other problems I had was the fact that one of the constellations was mentioned only due to it being politically incorrect and a suggested name change should be in place if you ask the author. Although the name was Indus and was for Indian I would love to know the reason why the name Indus was chosen since there is an Indus river.
And finally my ultimate bone is the fact that the author chose to go with the "8" planets and thus supporting the demotion of Pluto. Pluto will always be a planet for me and the whole denotation of dwarf is just an adjective in the end. It did tickle me that Pluto was at least mentioned twice even though it is just suppose to be a frozen pebble floating around and that fact that asteroids were also having problems being categorized then renamed just proves that they have no idea what they are doing with demoting planets or "categorizing" their finds when it comes to space.
All in all this is a great book to have around if you are interested in space or even introductory astrology. As such it would be a treasured gift for amateurs who like the stars or even for those who enjoy knowing the mythoi stories as they are related to the stars but if you are a fan of Pluto than this can be a nice little read before passing onto more supportive books.
October 25, 2017
This book had so much more information than I was expecting. I thought it would be more of a children's picture book for some reason, and while the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, this book would please any adult who wants to learn about astronomy. I took an astronomy class at college last semester, but we didn't study the constellations very much, and I loved how this book went through the myths surrounding each of the best-known ones. My favorite section was the one on the planets, though- I especially loved how it mentioned the naming themes for their moons and geographical features. (for instance, Uranus's 27 moons are all named after characters from Shakespeare! How did I not know that?)
Of course, there are signs of the current times, with the obligatory jab at the "anti-intellectual" medieval Europeans (when will people discover you can praise one culture's accomplishments without insulting others?) and the politically correct complaint over the constellation simply called "The Indian." And from a Christian perspective, there are certainly ideas espoused that conflict with a Christian worldview. Overall, I'd hand this to older kids curious about the night sky, and maybe to a few younger ones with excellent reading skills.
Also, the cover is sparkly, so that's a plus.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
October 18, 2020
This book contains basic knowledge of astronomy. Most of them I've already learned in Astronomy Club years ago. But, beside the beautiful illustrations, this book has an interesting way to explain the theories and descriptions related to astronomical objects. I will definitely recommend this book for a newbie who wants to know about astronomy in a fun way!
The constellation part in this book only describes about its origin name, its brightest star, and short mythical story related to it. It's some kind of summary, not too deep but enough to know general information about it. So, if you're looking for some starlore exploration books, unfortunately this book's not the one you're looking for (I'm basically talking to myself here haha)
The constellation part in this book only describes about its origin name, its brightest star, and short mythical story related to it. It's some kind of summary, not too deep but enough to know general information about it. So, if you're looking for some starlore exploration books, unfortunately this book's not the one you're looking for (I'm basically talking to myself here haha)
January 26, 2018
Really liked this one! I love the illustrations, and the profiles on each planet and the constellations were great! Also loved the mix of history (like some etymology of the names) with modern science. The reason this doesn't get 5 stars is that I sometimes found that the information could have been even mote comprehensive. Obviously this was never meant as a university intro course-level textbook about space, but I still found myself wanting some more scientific detail at times. There were also some terms that were mentioned but not explained. But as a work of art balancing light scientific and historical information with gorgeous illustrations it works very well!
January 4, 2019
This book was sweet and beautifully-illustrated.
However, there were a number of typos, which for the small amount of text, made them particularly distracting. It used the same informational text format for each new topic (which gave a nostalgic, grade school report vibe), but the simple, repeated format would have sporadic inconsistencies (IE: listing the Greek namesake for only 2nd half of relevant planets in list, or not listing the diameter of Neptune even though diameter was listed for all other planets).
The simplicity of the book was its charm, but with simplicity comes a necessity for detail which could have easily made this a five-star read.
However, there were a number of typos, which for the small amount of text, made them particularly distracting. It used the same informational text format for each new topic (which gave a nostalgic, grade school report vibe), but the simple, repeated format would have sporadic inconsistencies (IE: listing the Greek namesake for only 2nd half of relevant planets in list, or not listing the diameter of Neptune even though diameter was listed for all other planets).
The simplicity of the book was its charm, but with simplicity comes a necessity for detail which could have easily made this a five-star read.
February 13, 2021
Wonderfully illustrated, mercifully simple explanation of the basics of astronomy. It doesn’t shy away from any of the fundamentals - like precession of the Earth’s axis, aurora, equinoxes, even penumbral lunar eclipses - but offers all the “fun” stuff, too, like constellation and seasonal full Moon names. The book is better aimed at older kids, like 8-12, but I used parts of this book to talk to my 5-year old granddaughter about constellations and planets. She loved it, and wanted to know what all the other pages meant - a wonderful introduction to astronomy. I will admit I also “brushed up” some of my own understanding and night sky fundamentals. Nicely done!
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