Our Solar System by Seymour Simon

Our Solar System Reviews

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  Manybooks

  REVIEW OF THE UPDATED 2014 EDITION
  
  So yes and most definitely first and foremost, if you are actually planning on reading Seymour Simon’s Our Solar System and in particular if you are in fact considering using Our Solar System for teaching purposes (either in the classroom or at home), you most definitely should be choosing the most recent and updated edition (namely the one from 2014), since the original edition from 1995 of course still will still list Pluto as the ninth planet. And while I personally do have my issues with Pluto being demoted and now only considered as a dwarf planet, well, an astronomy book that is to be used for children’s education should naturally also be as updated as possible. Therefore, although this edition of Our Solar System would bien sûr still not be sufficiently updated with regard to post 2014 discoveries, research and NASA voyages, Seymour Simon’s text does indeed provide a decent and adequate basic introduction to the solar system, to the eight planets of the solar system, including of course the earth and also showing us the reasons why Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet but must share its status as a planetoid with other similar entities like Ceres and Eris (and indeed, for further research, although Seymour Simon does not provide a bibliography in book form, the 2014 edition of Our Solar System includes four websites and this might in fact be preferred as those websites would naturally be more current than any book with a publication date of prior to 2014).
  
  Now with regard to the actual representation in Our Solar System, albeit that I do believe Seymour Simon provides a decent and useable general introduction to the solar system for children from about the age of seven to eleven or so (and appreciatively in a clear and concise manner and thankfully without using confusing and too much verbally difficult science and astronomy specific jargon), I do wish that sometimes Seymour Simon’s text would go just a wee bit farther (such as for example mentioning the reason why Mars might now only have vestiges of either an atmosphere or water could be that unlike Earth, Mars has no plate tectonics and that the orbits of Neptune and Pluto regularly intersect so that sometimes Neptune is actually further from the sun an vice versa). But still and as long as the updated 2014 edition of Our Solar System is to be used, I do recommend Seymour Simon’s text for older children (for the intended audience) either reading Our Solar System on their own or for parents and teachers reading Our Solar System with or to them.
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  Lisa Vegan

  This book is outdated. I loved reading about planet Pluto, but it’s a non-fiction book I wouldn’t recommend reading in 2010. In 1992, when it was published, I would have found it worthy.
  
  The photos, illustrations, and other pictorial content are superb.
  
  The solar system, the sun, each planet (at the time), asteroids, comets, and meteoroids are covered, and there is a fairly good index.
  
  However, I’m sure there are more recently published books that would be better choices if the reader wants to learn about our solar system.
  
  This was the sixth, optional for older children, book for this month’s “space” theme for the November Picture Books Club at the
  Children's Books group. I think I voted for it, but I should have checked its publication date.
  
  This is tough to rate. It’s still got some interesting information that reflects our current knowledge so I will give it 3 stars. In 1992: 4 or 4-1/2 stars, now 1 or 2, though that’s not the book’s/author’s fault.
  
  ETA: I just found out in a thread in the Children's Books group that this book does have an updated edition that explains the Pluto situation. I suspect I'd give that edition 4 stars. Make sure to get the newest edition of this book!!!
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  Erik This Kid Reviews Books

  Mr. Simon has written a nice nonfiction book about our solar system. He explains a lot of things, and taught me some new things, like why Pluto is considered a dwarf planet (this is part of the "updated" version of this book). I think that he explains things in a simple way that kids can understand. The pictures in the book are cool. I like that there is a glossary in the back. I wish some of the illustrations had captions on them. I think it is a great choice for an introduction to the solar system for kids.
  *NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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  Dolly

  We've read several books by
  Seymour Simon and I really appreciate the way that he combines big, colorful photographs with informative, but not overwhelmingly detailed narratives. We learn a little more about each topic as we read and we are entertained as well.
  
  In 2007, this book was updated to include more recent consensus on the status of Pluto and other planetary objects. It was a necessary change to the original book published in 1992. We really enjoyed reading this book together and our oldest commented on the fact that her class is studying this material now, so it's a timely read. I was impressed with her knowledge about Saturn, which is the planet she and her partner are focusing on.
  
  This book was selected as one of the books for the
  November 2010 - Outer Space reads at the
  Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
  
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  Dolly

  We've read many of
  Seymour Simon's books and I really appreciate the way that he combines big, colorful photographs with informative, but not overwhelmingly detailed narratives.
  
  We learn a little more about each topic as we read and we are entertained by the amazing images as well.
  
  At the end of the book, the author provides a glossary and index as well as some online resources for more information.
  
  In 2007, this book was updated to include more recent consensus on the status of Pluto and other planetary objects. It was a necessary change to the original book published in 1992.
  
  This edition was updated in 2014 and again, reflects our increased comprehension of the solar system's composition.
  
  It also includes more recent images from various interplanetary spacecraft. The pictures are gorgeous and I really enjoyed reading this book again.
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  Laura Cheek

  Seymour Simon rules the nonfiction shelves with his amazing photos. I love these books for the school age child. Younger ones may be able to understand the books by Gail Gibbons a little better - although the artwork in those doesn't stand up to the real photos in Simon's books. Excellent!
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  Sandy

  This was one of the best organized and most comprehensive depictions of the solar system I've come across. There is enough information for kids to come away with significant knowledge but not so much detail that the important facts are lost in the text. I really enjoyed reading this book to my space loving 4 and 6 year olds.
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  Jessica

  I use Seymour Simon's books as a supplement in my Space science unit - the picture are outstanding but the text is wordy and technical - too much for K. This updated version is nice but it has not been updated to include the lovely photos of Pluto.
  
  Q2021 book
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  Beverly

  Gives brief, concise facts about the sun, each planet, and other objects in the solar system. Enhanced by spectacular photographs. Makes assumptions about events never observed by humans, such as the beginning of the solar system.
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  Jeanette

  Beautiful illustrations and interesting read aloud.
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  Asho

  S (age 6) picked out this book. We only ended up reading about half of it. It was a bit over his head for now.
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  Anjalica

  Awesome information and a child would really enjoy this read. Very educational
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  Samara O'Gorman

  A fast and simplified read to prep me for my Introduction to Astronomy class I’m taking this Autumn! I’ll be referencing it again when I need.
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  Melanie Johnson

  Did you know thatthe sun is star which its fuel is hydrogen? Which planet is closer to the sun? Do you know that the Earth might have been called Oceans or Water? How many moons does Jupiter has? The answer to these questions could be found in Our Solar System by award-winning author Seymour Simon. With over fifty dramatic, full-color photographs and an easy-to-read text it will takes you on a fascinating tour of the nine planets (actaully eight planets- Pluto is not a planet), dozens of moons, and thousands asteroids, meteoroids, and comets that travel around our sun. You will explore that the star at the center of our Solar System to the constant nuclear explosions at its core to the giant storms on its surface as geysers of flaming gas over a hundred thousand miles long rise and fall in just a few hours. Then you will continue your journey to the four rocky inner planets to the airless planets and then work your way the gaseous planets. Then you will visit the
  asteroid belt and examine comets, the "dirty snowballs" in space.
  This book describes the orgins and characteristics of each planets, comets, and meteoroids.Eventhough that this book a outdated kids could still getthe informatio that they need to do a science project or report. This picture are amazing that a child at the age of six would enjoy looking atand possilbity want to go a space museum. But the text is on an intermediate to advance.
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  Kayla Nightser

  Fiction citation: Gerstein, M. (2015). The night world. New York: Little, Brown and Company
  
  Rationale: The Night World shows the wonder that children can feel from looking at their own house and backyard in the dark, and the strange feeling of being outside alone at night. Which happens to be the usual time to go outside and see stars, like in Our Solar System. To capture student's interest and get them excited about learning about the stars, this book would be perfect (and maybe convince them to go outside on their own to look at the stars!)
  
  Text structure: Sequential (moving away from the Sun)
  Text features: Pictures, author's note, bold words, captions, glossary, index
  
  Strategy: Webbing. Students could make a web of space-related words they already know while reading The Night World. After sharing what we think we already know about space, we could read Our Solar System and add to our webs. Although there are no headings in this book, students could be directed to come up with the main topic of each page on their own. The webs could also help students begin writing about the topic of space, or to write about an imaginative topic, like what our houses look like at night.
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  Esmeralda Gregg

  This book helps to introduce 1st – 6th graders to the solar system. This book includes a glossary and an index. The book describes the nine planets and other bodies of the solar system. It also includes directions for making models showing the size of the planets and their distance from the sun. Full color photographs provided by NASA help bring the solar system within reach for elementary schoolers.
  
  THEMES: Space, Astronomy, Planets
  
  TEKS:
  §112.14. Science, Grade 3, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011.
  (b) Knowledge and skills.
  (8)  Earth and space. The student knows there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among objects in the sky. The student is expected to:
  (B)  describe and illustrate the Sun as a star composed of gases that provides light and heat energy for the water cycle;
  (C)  construct models that demonstrate the relationship of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, including orbits and positions; and
  (D)  identify the planets in Earth's solar system and their position in relation to the Sun.