From an informational stand point, by far the strongest text I've come across. Possibly ever. This book should be held up as the example for just how significant a role text formatting can enhance a non-fiction reading experience. The main passages on each page are as stylistically potent as the information it contains. This is quite the abstract topic matter, astrophysics. So, how do you make that accessible to a young audience? By connecting and relating to more concrete concepts. Each passage relates the aspect of the black hole covered to more observable phenomena, progressively building the concept as you travel through a page. This brilliant progression is also followed chapter by chapter. Using evident text interpretation strategies, like comparing and contrasting, DeCristofano uses devices like first illustrating how a black hole is like a whirlpool, then following that up with a section entitled, "Even though a Black Hole is like a like a Whirlpool, A Black Hole is not a Whirlpool."
Concepts are never simplified, the stylistic elements of the writing like, "But you know what? A black hole isn't a monster. It's not even alive. That means it can't lurk, eat, or belch. It has no dar, destructive desires. Of course, you may have already figured this out. But you know what else?" Excite the reader to flip the page without ever feeling like they're being talked down to.
But, my absolute favorite aspect of this book is how respectfully the denser information is presented. Take, well density, for example. On page 15, in a table at the bottom, the author comparatively takes you through the density of snowball sized objects. First a fluffy snow ball, showing the reader how many grams (37) it weighs, then relating that weight to something concrete, a slice of bread. This, of course, helps readers gain a better understanding of a black hole, measurement, and the concept of density. As the table progresses it becomes even more fascinating, a hard-packed snow ball, a rock, a ball of plasma from the sun, before finally showing the black hole's density.
I can't count the times I've worked with my students about reading the ancillary information on a page of informative text. More often than not, in a text book the information contained in a table is fine. It presents facts. But DeCristofano shows us how effective that information can be when it's designed to wow you. That's what the concrete relationships do, I found myself with a better picture of grams, density, and the universe.
So, this and Steve Sheinkin's Bomb are my two favorite non-fiction books that I've ever read. While Bomb is and should be the example of non-fiction narratives for young adults, I think Black Hole might be even more important because it's a tightly packed informational text. Taking nothing away from the amount of work it took Sheinkin to turn the events surrounding the bomb into a story, I think it might be even more of a challenge to take an abstract concept and present it in an informational format that usually lacks true engagement. I guess I'll count myself lucky to have two non-fiction books this year that I can hold up and say to my students, "It doesn't matter what you're reading about, when the information is presented well, you will be fascinated. And if you're not, it's probably the book's fault." I hope between DeCristofano and Sheinkin, this is the new bar in non-fiction writing.
Concepts are never simplified, the stylistic elements of the writing like, "But you know what? A black hole isn't a monster. It's not even alive. That means it can't lurk, eat, or belch. It has no dar, destructive desires. Of course, you may have already figured this out. But you know what else?" Excite the reader to flip the page without ever feeling like they're being talked down to.
But, my absolute favorite aspect of this book is how respectfully the denser information is presented. Take, well density, for example. On page 15, in a table at the bottom, the author comparatively takes you through the density of snowball sized objects. First a fluffy snow ball, showing the reader how many grams (37) it weighs, then relating that weight to something concrete, a slice of bread. This, of course, helps readers gain a better understanding of a black hole, measurement, and the concept of density. As the table progresses it becomes even more fascinating, a hard-packed snow ball, a rock, a ball of plasma from the sun, before finally showing the black hole's density.
I can't count the times I've worked with my students about reading the ancillary information on a page of informative text. More often than not, in a text book the information contained in a table is fine. It presents facts. But DeCristofano shows us how effective that information can be when it's designed to wow you. That's what the concrete relationships do, I found myself with a better picture of grams, density, and the universe.
So, this and Steve Sheinkin's Bomb are my two favorite non-fiction books that I've ever read. While Bomb is and should be the example of non-fiction narratives for young adults, I think Black Hole might be even more important because it's a tightly packed informational text. Taking nothing away from the amount of work it took Sheinkin to turn the events surrounding the bomb into a story, I think it might be even more of a challenge to take an abstract concept and present it in an informational format that usually lacks true engagement. I guess I'll count myself lucky to have two non-fiction books this year that I can hold up and say to my students, "It doesn't matter what you're reading about, when the information is presented well, you will be fascinated. And if you're not, it's probably the book's fault." I hope between DeCristofano and Sheinkin, this is the new bar in non-fiction writing.
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