Kingdom Of The Sun: A Book About The Planets

Rating:
Summary: A truly beautiful gift book
Review: Kingdom Of The Sun: A Book Of The Planets a truly exciting picturebook that takes young readers on a cosmic tour through the solar system. Published by the National Geographic Society, Kingdom of the sun is filled with scientific facts about each planet as well as mythological lore about the gods after whom the planets are named. The color illustrations of the ancient gods and their planets against the backdrop of space are particularly striking, and the eye-catching use of shiny gold foil makes Kingdom Of The Sun a picturebook that compels admiration. The last two pages feature a short glossary and a table of facts about the sun, moon, and planets. Wonderfully written by Jacqueline Mitton and superbly illustrated by Christina Balit, Kingdom of the Sun is a truly beautiful gift book, superb for sparking an interest in science and astronomy in young people, and very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A gorgeously illustrated look at the planets of the gods
Review: One of the things companies making collectible trading cards have done is to add "foil" to cards to make them rarer and therefore more expensive. I have never been particularly fond of either the marketing technique or the aesthetics of this particular practice, but I may have to change my mind after reading "Kingdom of the Sun: A Book of the Planets." This National Geographic Book introduces young readers to the planets of our solar system by not only telling them about the features of the planets but also comparing them to the god/desses of classical mythology for whom they were named, who tell their stories in the first person. The text of "Kingdom of the Sun" is written by Dr. Jacquelin Mitton; in 1990 Asteroid 4027 was named Mitton by the International Astronomical Union in honor of Dr. Mitton and her husband, Simon, who is also an astronomer. However, what immediately catches your eye is the gorgeous artwork by Christina Balit. For each of the planets, along with the sun and moon, Balit has created a painting showing the appropriate god/dess in all of their glory over the heavenly object. The brilliantly colored paintings are embossed with gold foil and if you look carefully you can find the astrological sign for each planet in both the border panel and somewhere on the god/dess. I especially like the contrast between the more naturalistic depictions of the planets with the finely stylized representations of the god/desses. The back of the book includes statistical information about our solar system along with a glossary of terms from astronomer to volcano. Mitton and Balit had worked together previously on "Zoo in the Sky," a similar book about the animal constellations, and I cannot imagine that it is any less exquisite than "Kingdom of the Sun." This is such a beautiful book that you have to remind yourself that it is educational as well. This book can be used as a transition from mythology to astronomy or the other way around.

Rating:
Summary: A gorgeously illustrated look at the planets of the gods
Review: One of the things companies making collectible trading cards have done is to add "foil" to cards to make them rarer and therefore more expensive. I have never been particularly fond of either the marketing technique or the aesthetics of this particular practice, but I may have to change my mind after reading "Kingdom of the Sun: A Book of the Planets." This National Geographic Book introduces young readers to the planets of our solar system by not only telling them about the features of the planets but also comparing them to the god/desses of classical mythology for whom they were named, who tell their stories in the first person. The text of "Kingdom of the Sun" is written by Dr. Jacquelin Mitton; in 1990 Asteroid 4027 was named Mitton by the International Astronomical Union in honor of Dr. Mitton and her husband, Simon, who is also an astronomer. However, what immediately catches your eye is the gorgeous artwork by Christina Balit. For each of the planets, along with the sun and moon, Balit has created a painting showing the appropriate god/dess in all of their glory over the heavenly object. The brilliantly colored paintings are embossed with gold foil and if you look carefully you can find the astrological sign for each planet in both the border panel and somewhere on the god/dess. I especially like the contrast between the more naturalistic depictions of the planets with the finely stylized representations of the god/desses. The back of the book includes statistical information about our solar system along with a glossary of terms from astronomer to volcano. Mitton and Balit had worked together previously on "Zoo in the Sky," a similar book about the animal constellations, and I cannot imagine that it is any less exquisite than "Kingdom of the Sun." This is such a beautiful book that you have to remind yourself that it is educational as well. This book can be used as a transition from mythology to astronomy or the other way around.