Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun by Marianne Berkes, Illustrated by Janeen Mason

About the Book

Our Earth is part of a fascinating planetary family - eight planets and an odd bunch of solar system "cousins" that spin, roll, tilt, blow and whirl around the Sun! In Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun, and to the tune of "Over in the Meadow," young ones can get a glimpse of our remarkable neighborhood, and our place in a very big universe.

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Book Excerpt
"Up in outer space
In our sky of pink and blue,
Venus shines a light so bright.
Here is planet number two.

'Sparkle,' said the Mother.
'I sparkle,' said Two.
So it shined a steady light
In our sky of pink and blue.

Curriculum Components / Learning Features
Planets - Solar System
Counting
Science

Previews / Reviews

"This book's title gives readers a hint of the lyrical, literary method used to explain the roll, tilt, blow, spin, sparkle, and whirl of the objects found in our solar system. But don't let the book's simple style fool you as to the depth of its content. The brilliant pictures and well-chosen words describe the uniqueness of each planet. For example, Mercury "whirls" and Neptune "rolls."

Although the book is designed for elementary students, the repetitive poetry and ease of learning both the tune and the words allow for extended classroom applications. Some of these activities are described by the author and illustrator, and there is additional information and a list of websites.

The illustrator got her idea from a group of elementary art students in Florida. No wonder it appeals to elementary children who love to study the planets! This creative book can be read during any class time, but is especially wonderful for music and science class, particularly if the science teacher can't carry a tune. ~ NSTA Recommends (Nat. Science Teacher's Assoc.) Teri Cosentino (June 2008)

Modeled on "Over in the Meadow," as were her Over in the Ocean (2004) and Over in the Jungle (2007, both Dawn), Berkes's rhymed tour of the solar system is framed as a dialogue between Mother Sun and her satellites. The verses introduce very basic concepts along with each planet: "'Tilt,' said the Mother /'I tilt,' said Three./So it tilted on its axis/And the seasons came to be." Pluto and its fellow dwarf planets, along with some of the solar system's smaller residents, also rate mention. The information is accurate, if not always well phrased ("Saturn really 'blows'") and is backed up at the end with two full spreads of additional planetary facts, plus further re-sources and pages of suggested classroom activities. Mason's big, spattered, swirling starscapes were created with melted crayon and add loads of visual appeal to this astronomical primer. ~School Library Journal - John Peters, New York Public Library (June 2008)

About the Author / Illustrator

Marianne Berkes has spent much of her life with young children as a teacher, children's theater director and children's librarian. She knows how much children enjoy brilliantly illustrated, interactive picture books with predictable text about real animals. Recently retired to write full time and visit schools, libraries and literary conferences, she is the author of seven published picture books for children.

Marianne has published five books with Dawn Publications. Her first book, Seashells by the Seashore, was a finalist for Learning Magazine's 2003 Teacher's Choice Award. Her second book, Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef, has won numerous awards, including the Publishers Marketing Association's Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, Learning Magazine's Teacher's Choice Award and the National Association for Parenting Publications 2005 Gold Award. The highly acclaimed Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme was published in March 2007, and was awarded both the 2008 International Reading Association's Teacher's Choice Award and the 2008 Publishers Marketing Association's Benjamin Franklin Gold Award. Her fourth book with Dawn, Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun was published in March 2008 and Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow was a Fall 2008 release. Marianne is also the author of Marsh Morning, about bird songs in the marsh, and Marsh Music, about the night songs of frogs in the marsh. Marsh Morning won a Florida Reading Association Award in 2004.

Janeen Mason works as a find artist as well as an author and illustrator of children's books. Her original paintings are collected by Burt Reynolds, Reba MacEntire, S. Kent Rockwell, and Evan Lloyd. She licenses her fine art worldwide, some of which have won international awards. In 2000 she received the National Award for Excellence in Communities for an interactive exhibit featuring the work of thirteen award winning children's book illustrators. Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun is Janeen's first book with Dawn Publications.

Janeen serves as a Member of the Florida Arts Council, Chair of the Public Art Advisory Board, Illustrator Coordinator for Florida's Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Children's Book Council, Picture Book Artists Association, and past member of the board of directors of the Arts Council of Stuart and Martin County. Janeen is a popular at schools and conferences and an engaging guest on Public Radio and Television programs.

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