Science Poetry - Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars

1. Bibliographic Citation

Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Orlando: Harcourt. ISBN  9780152053727

2. Summary and Review

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian is a fun collection of rhyming poems about space. Beginning with general poems about the galaxy and the solar system, the poems then progress to name the planets in order from the Sun to dwarf planet Pluto and beyond to comets, and constellations. The concrete spiral shape of “A Galaxy,” the spacing of the letters in the word “e m p t y” in “The Universe,” and bold print of the phases of the moon in “The Moon” all add to the imagery of the heavens. Every poem in the book is well written with repetition and humor throughout. Florian’s illustrations of paint, stamps, and collage on paper bags with die cuts throughout are the perfect complement to the whimsical yet informational poems. The illustrations, themselves, also contain loads of factual information. At the end of the book is a “Galactic Glossary” with paragraphs of information about each poem in the collection. This book really is a double threat of poetic genius and scientific fact. I can see “The Moon” being used to supplement a study on the phases of the moon.

The Moon

A NEW moon isn’t really new,

It’s merely somewhat dark to view.

A CRESCENT moon may seem to smile,

Gladly back after a while.

A HALF moon is half dark, half light.

At sunset look due south to sight.

A FULL moon is a sight to see,

Circular in geometry.

After full, the moon will wane

Night by night, then start again.

3. Awards/Reviews

*Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee, 2008-2009

*Hornbook Fanfare, 2007

*Kirkus Review Stars, March 15, 2007

4. Activities

Poetry is a strong device to help with memorization. As a tie in to science class, the students could be encouraged to memorize “The Moon” to help them remember the phases of the moon. Students could be divided into groups and read the poem back and forth to each other as call and response to help with memorization. In addition, the students could draw the phases of the moon to illustrate the poem and to visualize the phases of the moon.

5. Related books

*Our Solar System Revised Edition by Seymour Simon ISBN 9780061140082

*The Moon by Seymour Simon ISBN 9780689835636

*The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons ISBN 9780823413645