Scan barcode
tami_provencher's review against another edition
4.0
A Black Hole is Not a Hole is a thrilling in content and language. It is a rare nonfiction book written for younger readers--although I believe it has wide appeal--that is exciting and accessible. A longtime astronomy enthusiast, I find the study of astronomy and its many amazing phenomena to be fascinating. Decristofano's book brings that excitement and wonder to life!
Although accessible to young readers in its explanations A Black Hole is Not a Hole does not 'dumb down' any scientific research, information or explanations. Instead she uses examples from everyday life to illustrate some of the more intangible or confusing aspects of a black hole in space. One of my favorites is when she states very plainly that it is difficult to search for something that IS nothing. A black hole is an absence of matter. So how do you look for a black hole in space? You can follow clues!
This explanation gave me a vivid image of tracking in the woods, looking down at the ground and trying to discern which were the tracks I was following among all the other things covering the ground.
The author makes the mind-boggling distances of space easier to comprehend when discussing them with passages like the following:
Because there are not photographs of a black hole or of some of the other phenomena discussed Decristofano uses artist's illustrations to further engage and enlighten her readers. Michael W. Carroll's illustrations are a perfect complement to Decristofano's text and the book is filled with these visuals in glossy, spectacular color.
I will not claim to completely understand all the information about black holes after reading this book because it is packed with information. But I have a significantly more informed concept in my experience now. Decristofano tells her readers that "A black hole is a destination--for your imagination." A Black Hole is Not a Hole makes the trip a doozy!
Although accessible to young readers in its explanations A Black Hole is Not a Hole does not 'dumb down' any scientific research, information or explanations. Instead she uses examples from everyday life to illustrate some of the more intangible or confusing aspects of a black hole in space. One of my favorites is when she states very plainly that it is difficult to search for something that IS nothing. A black hole is an absence of matter. So how do you look for a black hole in space? You can follow clues!
The clues are like footprints in a crowded forest--maybe you see them and can follow them, but maybe paw prints, branches, leaves, and shadows muddle the picture.
This explanation gave me a vivid image of tracking in the woods, looking down at the ground and trying to discern which were the tracks I was following among all the other things covering the ground.
The author makes the mind-boggling distances of space easier to comprehend when discussing them with passages like the following:
For example, one of Earth's closest black-hole "neighbors" is about 1,600 light years away. (That's about 9 quadrillion miles, or 14 quadrillion kilometers.) No spacecraft is going to get you to a black hole and back by dinnertime--even if you live to be one hundred and only want dinner on your last day.
Because there are not photographs of a black hole or of some of the other phenomena discussed Decristofano uses artist's illustrations to further engage and enlighten her readers. Michael W. Carroll's illustrations are a perfect complement to Decristofano's text and the book is filled with these visuals in glossy, spectacular color.
I will not claim to completely understand all the information about black holes after reading this book because it is packed with information. But I have a significantly more informed concept in my experience now. Decristofano tells her readers that "A black hole is a destination--for your imagination." A Black Hole is Not a Hole makes the trip a doozy!
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
5.0
Great information in an appealing format, the technical terms are well explained.
cbabyblue's review against another edition
5.0
Interestingly educational. Learned more about black holes than I thought I needed to know
chaos_carrie's review against another edition
3.0
This was a cute, quick read. Definitely one that I would share with my nieces and nephews if it can pass the “astrophysicist uncle test”
More...