Starred Review Writing with rare verve (A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally.), DeCristofano condenses recent astronomical discoveries into a high-energy account of what we know or guess about one of the universe's deepest and most unobservable secrets. Covering the life cycles of stars; the formation of black holes and weird optical and physical effects associated with them; more recent revelations of super-sized black holes at the centers of galaxies; and the general effects of mass on space, light, and matter, she presents a clear, well-rounded picture of the strange structure and stranger physics of black holes. After leading a wild ride over a black hole's event horizon (Right away, you would need a new nickname mething like Stretch . . . .) and explaining theories about gravity from Newton's notions to Einstein's Spacey Ideas, DeCristofano leaves readers to ponder the truth of her claim that a black hole isn't a hole t NOT exactly NOT a hole either. Enhanced by a time line and a generous set of further resources d illustrated with plenty of cogent diagrams, space photographs, and Carroll's dramatic images of stellar whirlpools and mammoth jets of gas around cores of impenetrable blackness is book will snatch readers from their orbits and fling them into a lasting fascination with nature's most attractive phenomena. Literally.

Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book. The volume guides readers on a (literally) out-of-this-world tour, dealing with topics and concepts that, in the hands of a less-gifted writer, might have remained obscure and unclear. DeCristofano handles the material with wit, style and singularly admirable clarity, frequently employing easy-to-understand and, yes, down-to-earth ideas and scenarios to help make complex principles comprehensible to readers of all ages. Carroll's illustrations, diagrams and charts, along with superb telescopic photographs (many courtesy of NASA) are splendid and filled with the drama and excitement of the limitless vastness of space. The handsome design and visuals greatly enhance the text and add much to readers' grasp of the subject. Stargazers will be entranced, and even those not especially attuned to matters celestial will come away feeling smarter, awestruck and with a sense of finally understanding this fascinating, other-worldly phenomenon. An excellent resource. Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Gr 5-7 This introduction to black holes takes readers from simple to complex by dropping definitions and information slowly and clearly into the lively narrative. Dramatic and amazing illustrations help to impart the sense of the vast distances in space, of how atomic nuclei meld in the intense interaction called fusion, and how the areas of a black hole-the event boundary, the extreme gravity zone, and the singularity—are defined. The appended time line begins with Newton's work on gravity in 1687 and ends with the theoretical shining of a flashlight toward our galaxy's black hole (Sagittarius A

In this captivating book on black holes, complicated abstract ideas are logically ordered and clarified in an inviting conversational style and with inspired uses of reasoning and analogies perfectly attuned to the target audience. Well-designed layouts include illustrations, historical images, helpful diagrams, and humorous text bubbles that add levity while underscoring major concepts. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book. The volume guides readers on a (literally) out-of-this-world tour, dealing with topics and concepts that, in the hands of a less-gifted writer, might have remained obscure and unclear. DeCristofano handles the material with wit, style and singularly admirable clarity, frequently employing easy-to-understand and, yes, down-to-earth ideas and scenarios to help make complex principles comprehensible to readers of all ages. Carroll's illustrations, diagrams and charts, along with superb telescopic photographs (many courtesy of NASA) are splendid and filled with the drama and excitement of the limitless vastness of space. The handsome design and visuals greatly enhance the text and add much to readers' grasp of the subject. Stargazers will be entranced, and even those not especially attuned to matters celestial will come away feeling smarter, awestruck and with a sense of finally understanding this fascinating, other-worldly phenomenon. An excellent resource. Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)