About the Author

DR. BRUCE BETTS is a planetary scientist who loves teaching people about planets, space, and the night sky in fun and entertaining ways. He is the chief scientist for the world's largest space interest group, The Planetary Society, where he heads both the Science and Technology and the Education and Outreach programs. He regularly writes for a variety of online and print publications, including The Planetary Report and his blog, planetary.org. Learn more at RandomSpaceFact.com.

Reviews

"A delightful book, beautifully illustrated, that explains our solar system to kids in words they can understand. It offers some great analogies--for example, comparing the size of the Moon to that of a tennis ball to the size of the Earth as a little bigger than a basketball. The author has a Ph.D. in planetary science but can write at a level that is very accessible to kids." --Dr Rosaly M.C. Lopes, Senior Research Scientist at JPL and author of several books on volcanoes and planetary science

"Great exploration of the solar system! The vocabulary is defined clearly to make comprehension a breeze. Bright, colorful pictures engage the reader. Relatable comparisons help to make the content understandable. This is the 4th book I have read by this author, and I am always impressed at how well he speaks to kids without speaking down to them. I wish I'd had this book when my kids were writing their solar system reports when they were in the 3rd grade. I can't wait for my students to get their hands on this!" --Kathy Proctor, 2nd grade teacher

"Here's the perfect book for introducing preschoolers and slightly older kids to the wonders of our solar system. The language is perfect for curious young scientists like my four-year-old grandson. The text is seasoned with many of the author's trademark Random Space Facts, while the mix of beautiful astrophotography and artists' drawings make My First Book of Planets a visual delight." --Mat Kaplan, Host and Producer of Planetary Radio