Children's Nonfiction Folklore & Mythology
Dot to Dot in the Sky
Stories of the Zodiac
- Publisher
- Whitecap Books
- Initial publish date
- Mar 2011
- Category
- Folklore & Mythology, Astronomy
- Recommended Age
- 7 to 11
- Recommended Grade
- 4
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781552858059
- Publish Date
- Mar 2011
- List Price
- $16.95
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781552856109
- Publish Date
- Mar 2011
- List Price
- $16.95
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781552853924
- Publish Date
- Mar 2011
- List Price
- $16.95
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781552851821
- Publish Date
- Jan 2012
- List Price
- $16.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Explore the ancient wisdom of the night sky. Stories of the Zodiac is the fourth book in the best-selling Dot to Dot in the Sky series, blending sky science with ancient myths.
The adventures of gods, animals and heroes are illustrated in the 12 zodiac constellations. Each constellation presents a Greek myth to discover and myriad celestial objects to explore, including nebulae, multiple star systems and meteor showers.
Discover how the constellations have been used to create horoscopes that describe personalities and predict the future. Find out the difference between astrology and astronomy, and how to easily search for the zodiac constellations by jumping between star groups in the sky.
It's fun to look skyward and know the stories that originated long ago, when people first gazed at the same star patterns we see today. The ancient stories once told to explain events and describe human emotions are just as appealing in modern times.
About the authors
Joan Marie Galat
lives in the Alberta countryside near Edmonton, where she can often be found gazing upwards. She shares her love of the sky in the Dot to Dot in the Sky series, which offers both science and stories from ancient cultures about our environment and the night sky.
Joan's writing career began with a weekly newspaper column when she was 12 years old. Now an award-winning and best-selling author, she has written more than a dozen books for both children and adults. She provides freelance writing and editing through her communications business, MoonDot Media, and is a frequent presenter at schools and libraries.
While Alberta's long winter nights and big prairie sky are ideal for stargazing, Joan also enjoys other pastimes such as reading, camping, kayaking, spending time outdoors, and even stiltwalking. She likes to travel and picnic, which led to her book Day Trips from Edmonton.
Joan Marie Galat's profile page
Lorna Bennett was born in Edmonton AB and took an early interest in the arts through music, dance and drawing. She attended Grant MacEwan Community College and the University of Alberta in Arts/Fine Arts. After working for many years as a designer/illustrator for the Alberta Forest Service and Environmental Protection, she left to pursue a career in the publishing industry doing children's picture books and novel covers. Many of Lorna's books have been nominated or shortlisted for major awards.
Editorial Reviews
"Love, hate, jealousy, revenge—these are the basic elements of the original soap opera of the sky that plays out every night above our heads. Joan Marie Galat tells the colourful tales of mythological creatures seen among the stars by ancient skywatchers and adds the modern drama of exploding supernovae and alien planets found within the same constellations today. This stargazers' companion brings the night sky to life with the full story of your zodiacal sign."
— Bob McDonald, host of CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks
"This book makes sense of the constellations of the zodiac and explains their significance in terms of both astronomy and astrology . . . The author describes the yearly journey of the sun, moon, and planets through these groupings of stars in an informative and interesting way."
— James Foster, PhD, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA
"As a Sagittarian, was I predestined to coach university archery and to be launched like an arrow into the sky? Mythology and astronomy will always connect ancient lives to ours and Dot to Dot in the Sky is the remarkable story of how and why."
— Roberta Bondar, scientist, physician, astronaut, photographer, author
Librarian Reviews
Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Zodiac
This book introduces the night sky with a luminescent star map and descriptions of the signs of the zodiac. The author makes it clear that astronomy is not astrology, however. Scientists use the constellations of the zodiac in mapping the skies. The author provides the reader with a simple way to get started using the constellation chart by using the Big Dipper. Also, she gives a simple trick to find latitude and thus the handle of the Little Dipper and from there, Virgo, the first of the signs of the zodiac that comprise the body of the book. Each sign is given a colourful illustration, a star map and directions to finding the constellation, a side bar with space notes and a myth associated with the zodiac’s sign.This is the fourth book in the Dot to Dot series.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2008-2009.
Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Zodiac (Dot to Dot in the Sky)
The zodiac is an imaginary path in the sky divided into 12 constellations where the Sun, Moon and planets appear to travel. Readers learn the ancient stories associated with the zodiac signs and explore the science behind the constellations that bear their names. Includes a glow-in-the-dark star map.Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Best Books for Kids & Teens. 2008.
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