Monica Gallen

1. National Geographic: Planets by Elizabeth Carney

This book covers all of the planets and dwarf planets in our solar system.
It is a good book for young readers and students who are just beginning to learn
about the solar system. The pictures are provided by National Geographic and the
text is written by childrens book authors. The book uses childrens natural
curiosity about space to draw them in and keep them entertained throughout the
entirety of the book.
2. Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanne Cole
This fiction book is geared for younger readers, but enjoyed by all. As one of the
many Magic School Bus, Ms. Frizzles class runs into an issue on their trip for the day.
The class was supposed to go to the museum, but it was closed, so Ms. Frizzle turns the
school bus into a rocket ship! The class flies into space to learn about the moon and all of
the planets in our solar system.
3. The Planets by Gail Gibbons
This book introduces the planets individually with facts about them. There
is a picture on each page with text below that explains what is in the picture. The
pictures look like a fiction book, while the facts are true and nonfiction. The book
is set up to go through the planets in order and teach about each one in a simple
manner.
4. How Many Planets Circle the Sun? And Other Questions About Our Solar System (Good
Question!) by Mary Kay Carson
This is just one book in a series that answers common questions in the
world of science and history. The book goes through many questions that children
may have and introduces questions that children have not thought about before.

All of these questions are answered in a way that children understand. The book is
set up in a question and answer format which keeps all of the information
together.
5. Our Solar System (revised edition) by Seymour Simon
This book takes readers on a tour through space. It teaches about the
beginning of space and our solar system. It also gives an in depth description of
the eight planets and their moons. It is written to make learning fun for the
students instead of just listing facts about space. There are many colorful images
that bring the facts to life. This book also supports the Common Core Standards.
6. 13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar
This book is an overview of why Pluto was removed from the planets, and
then brought back along with four new planets. Most books are out of date, but
this book is used to clear up any confusion from those other books. The book is
also to update children about all of the latest decisions related to our solar system
and space in general.
7. Destination: Space by Seymour Simon
This book puts the size of Earth and our solar system into perspective.
This nonfiction book talks about the galaxy, stars, and our solar system. There are
pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope that go along with facts about space.
The book is clear and precise with its information. It is a simple way to teach
hard-to-grasp concepts to children.
8. Space (Magic Tree House Research Guide) by Mary Pope Osborne

This book includes information from Jack and Annies trip to the moon.
This book includes well known characters, but instead of going on an adventure,
Jack and Annie are researching the questions they have. It has up-to-date pictures
and information along with fun facts about space. It is a fun way to teach more
information about space.
9. Space and Planets (The Magic School Bus, Fact Finder) by Kris Hirschmann
This book has notes from Ms. Frizzles class. It is a fun and interesting
way for students to read about space with a popular teacher. The story includes
many illustrations that show and explain all of the planets in our solar system. The
information in this book is up-to-date with its publication date. The notes are
based on the book Magic School Bus Lost In Space.
10. When is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto by Elaine Scott
This is the first book that talks about Pluto and why it was removed from
our list of planets. When this book was published, there were very few books that
were updated to not include Pluto as a planet. This book was written for children
to explain why Pluto is not a planet anymore. There are many pictures and
paintings that draw children in to learn more about Pluto.