Jacqueline Mitton
Imagine my surprise as I was crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the Queen Mary 2 to see that one of the guest lecturers on the trip was Jacqueline Mitton. She was a double bill with her husband and their topic was Astronomy. I of course knew her as the author of several wonderful children's books all dealing astronomy. Jacqueline is more than qualified since she has a PhD in astrophysics from Cambridge and is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society.
I attended their lectures and then asked her for an interview. I was really interested in how she came to such an interesting career. She remarked that as a young child she was fascinated by natural things and was always curious. Her parents were open minded but not well off. She went to the local library weekly and it was quite a walk. As an only child, her mother taught her to read before she was five and before she went to school. One thing she remembers about that time in her life was that she could not borrow books from the library until she was 7 years old. Her love of everything in nature and especially astronomy comes out in her books.
Both Jacqueline and her husband are good communicators and that is certainly one of the reasons that they are on the lecture circuit. It was also part of the reason she decided to write children's books. She had great ideas when she saw the pictures coming back from space. Show children the real thing; bring them cutting-edge science. Her biggest battles were with the editors who felt they knew better what should be in a children's book. They were fixed in the past and did not keep up the science. Now that her books have done well and she has established her bona fides—she gets more respect from the editors. She has consulted frequently for DK on their books and you will find her name as a contributor, author, advisor or editor on over a dozen Eyewitness book titles. That type of work for hire is hard because of the tight schedules and payment is usually a fixed amount.
Jacqueline prefers writing at her pace and royalty arrangements. Zoo in the Sky was an idea that she had in her head. After talking with an editor she got nowhere. So she just sat down and wrote the text and sketched out the illustrations. While she had an agent for her adult work, she really did not have one for the children's material. She swallowed her anxiety and went to her agent and as luck would have it, his wife was an agent for a children's writer. She thought the book would sell and took it to Frances Lincoln. It was a slow process—actually years, but since she already had a reputation in the adult market and the title and idea were clever, it came to fruition. Zoo in the Sky was published in 1998 by Frances Lincoln and was later picked up by National Geographic in the U.S.
National Geographic has published several other books by Jacqueline including Kingdom of the Sun, Once Upon a Starry Night: A book of Constellation Stories and The Planet Gods: Myths and Facts about the Solar System. Meanwhile in another book with Frances Lincoln entitled Zodiac: Celestial Circle of the Sun , Jacqueline was hoping for a crossover book. She needed to be careful that she did not mar her professional reputation as an astronomer with a book that was not truly science. One of the most recent books—I See the Moon (2010, Frances Lincoln) was six years in the works as they tried to find the right illustrator. It was one of those stories written in a flash, but then she had to undertake research to make sure that she had gotten the animals correct. It was a bit frustrating, but Jacqueline persisted until the illustrator who could interpret what she had in mind was finally found and she is now very happy with the book. For one thing she wrote about the possibility of water on the moon before the impact in Feb of 2011 proved the point.
Jacqueline and her husband Simon met at Oxford. They are parents of two daughters, one of whom is in aerospace engineering. Earlier they collaborated on books and while he continues to write for adults, Jacqueline has branched out and expanded her writing into the world of children's literature. Lucky for us that she has since her books have won numerous accolades and awards.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
Cambridge Dictionary of Astronomy
Jacqueline Mitton
This excellent book should be in many libraries and personal collections. It is well, if scantily, illustrated, and the definitions are accurate and readable. The book contains a short preface that explains its structure, followed by words, phrases, and their definitions. It is disappointing that women, who have made many significant contributions to astronomy, are rarely mentioned, whereas many phenomena are presented with the names of their male discoverers. For example, the author might have mentioned Antonia Maury in the discussion of spectral classification (her early models indicated the need for a classification of luminosity), Beatrice Tinsley in the description of the Hubble classification (she demonstrated that the classification is not evolutionary), Cecilia Payne in the description of stellar atmospheres (she established the fact that stars are made primarily of hydrogen), and Vera Rubin in the discussion of dark matter (she demonstrated that it exists). In addition, although several astronomical star catalogs are mentioned, Kukarkin and Parenago's General Catalogue of Variable Stars is missing, even though it is a staple for work on variable stars, and there is no mention of the fact that the primary value of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog is that it contains information on proper motions for its stars, reduced to a common reference system. C.I.P. Highly Recommended, College, Teaching Professional, General Audience. 2001, Cambridge, 468pp., $52.95. Ages 17 to 18, and adult professional. Reviewer: Katherine Haramundanis (Science Books and Films (Vol. 38, No. 3)).
ISBN: 9780521800457
Gems of Hubble
Jacqueline Mitton and Stephen P. Maran
The Hubble Space Telescope, the finest optical telescope ever built, was almost a complete disaster, but nearly four years after its launch in April 1990, corrective optics were successfully installed. The resulting spectacular improvement in the quality of its images may be clearly seen by comparing page 8 (before) with page 10 (after) of this fine volume. The book showcases (with appropriate scientific comment) some 60 of the telescope's finest pictures. In December 1995, the telescope spent 10 days concentrating on a small area of the sky in Ursa Major in four color regions of the spectrum, taking a total of 342 separate exposures, which were then combined electronically into one picture. This is the deepest look at the faintest galaxies ever seen, some four billion times fainter than can be seen by the naked eye. It is a look that is closer to the edge of the observable universe and farther back in time than has ever been seen in any other astronomical picture. Other remarkable photographs are of the Cat's Eye Planetary Nebula (p. 64), the Eagle Nebula (p. 367), and Abell 2218 (a "cosmic zoom" lens, p. 110.) Truly, this is a star-studded book of extraordinary interest. Highly Recommended, Grades 7-College, Teaching Professional, General Audience. 1996, Cambridge, iv+123pp., $13.95 (paper). Ages 12 to 18, and adult professional. Reviewer: Dr. John B. Irwin (Science Books and Films (Vol. 33, No. 2))
ISBN: 9780521571005
I See the Moon
Jacqueline Mitton
Illustrated by Erika Pal
The Moon can be so different every time you see it.' The illustrator of this luminous picture book shows the Moon's phases above dark, atmospheric landscapes. Sometimes it is a thin curvy crescent with the whole of the Moon discernible only if you look carefully. ‘It's the old Moon in the new Moon's arms' say some children staring out of a window. At other times the moon is full, sometimes silvery and sometimes an almost golden colour at harvest time. The strong black line often encloses a burst of bright colour – the orange coats of the fox family and the golden eyes of the owl. A lyrically written text creates some lovely images too: the full Moon looks like ‘a silver-coloured fruit dangling in the sky'. Questions and exclamations help create space in young minds for concepts to develop. The Moon is always there, even if we cannot see it in daytime unless it is a cloudless sky. And by putting a tiger, koala, fox and rabbit into the landscapes, the book shows children that the Moon can be seen from every place across the world. Then, on the last double spread, the young learner's imagination is put into top gear. We see a lunar landscape: ‘Imagine being there, like an astronaut.' And, if we were, imagine seeing our Earth taking the place of the Moon in the heavens. Quite simply, this is a marvellous first introduction to the Moon and the night sky. Highly recommended. Category: Under 5s Pre-School/Nursery/Infant. Rating: 5 (Unmissable). 2010, Frances Lincoln, 32pp, D11.99 hbk. Ages 0 to 4. Reviewer: Margaret Mallett (Books for Keeps No. 186, January 2011).
ISBN: 9781845076337
Once Upon a Starry Night: A Book of Constellation Stories
Jacqueline Mitton
Illustrated by Christina Balit
The lure of the night sky has been with mankind for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks told tales of gods, kings and queens, heroes, and mythical beasts. Dotting the night sky are scores of these figures, many of whom angered or honored the gods that put them there. From the vain Cassiopeia to the hero Jason comes a blend of mythology and astronomical fact about nine constellations. A majestic bird holds the lyre that once belonged to Orpheus who, glancing back at the world of the dead, lost his young wife forever. Pegasus, who rose from the blood of Medusa, was rewarded a place in the sky for loyal service. The artwork is stunning! Playful patterns are set on bold colors and the figures dance across the pages with grace and fluidity. Sparkling silver stars highlight the relationship to the historical figures. A map of the night sky and a double fold page explanation of astronomical facts accompany the text. Young children are sure to be fascinated by such engaging work. 2003, National Geographic, $16.95. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Laura Hummel (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780792263326
The Planet Gods: Myths and Facts About the Solar System
Jacqueline Mitton
Illustrated by Christina Balit
More than two thousand years ago, the planets were named after the Greek gods and goddesses based on observed, planetary features. Although the Greek names of the planets were changed to their Roman equivalents and more planets were discovered, the similarities between the gods and their namesakes create an interesting mixture of mythology and planetary information. To reveal these connections, each planet shares its story, which is cleverly entwined with characteristics of the god and the factual information about the planet. For instance, Planet Mercury, the namesake of the messenger god known for his speed, blends its planetary features with words that form a picture of its quick orbit around the sun. This edition includes the dwarf planets, Ceres, Pluto and Eris (the original text was published under the title, Kingdom of the Sun). Along with the planets, Helios and Selene (the sun and the moon), tell their stories too. Working with each planetary story are the bold and rich colors of the illustrations, with their highlighted sparkle of gold. In the back of the book, there is a glossary and a chart with basic facts about the planets, sun and moon in terms of size and distance. Overall, this text provides a poetic and artistic perspective for a study about the solar system. 2008 (orig. 2001), National Geographic, $7.95. Ages 7 to 12. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781426304491
The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy
Simon and Jacqueline Mitton
Stunning photographs and illustrations greet the upper elementary or middle school student opening the pages of this book. Text blocks, charts, photographs, and computer graphics assist in the explanations of a variety of topics coming under the four headings of the challenge of astronomy, solar system, sun and stars, and galaxies and the universe. Bolded subheadings throughout the text facilitate skimming. Breadth, not depth, is the direction of this information; however, the information presented will be more than adequate for beginning research or for pleasure reading. Star charts, glossary and comprehensive index. 1995, Oxford University Press, $25.00 Ages 9 to 14. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780195211689
Zodiac: Celestial Circle of the Sun
Jacqueline Mitton
Illustrated by Christina Balit
This strikingly illustrated introduction to the constellations of the zodiac is a wonderful browsing book. Mitton provides a brief introduction to the zodiac before laying out twelve two-page spreads, one for each of the astrological signs. The illustrations take up much of the space with a short but flowery description of the sign depicted that includes the story of the constellation's origin. The last few pages provide some additional information on the zodiac and the sun's path through the constellations. This is a beautiful book with limited information. While its appearance resembles a picture book, the writing and word choice dictate at least an intermediate level reader. While lacking in-depth information that would make the book more suitable for research, the book retains some interest level and would be perfect to round out a collection that already contains research material on the subject. Readers with a general interest in the zodiac and its associated constellations will be pleased.
Beautiful illustrations bring to life the signs of the Zodiac throughout the sky, using striking colors and jewel tones for the stars. Beginning with an introduction to the Zodiac, the work continues with a two-page spread for each of the twelve signs, one page dedicated to the illustration and one page discussing the sign, and its related history and mythology. The metallic colors used to indicate the shapes of the astrological signs enable the reader to easily find the sign in the sky. The maps provided assist as well. ‘More about the Zodiac' discusses the sun's path, constellations, signs, and the origin of the Zodiac. There is a chart comparing the astronomical constellations with the astrological signs, and a table of the visibility of the constellations, although only for the Northern hemisphere. The vivid illustrations will draw in the younger reader, although the terminology used will appeal only to older readers. This is a wonderful introduction to the signs of the Zodiac, and their associated myths. Well-researched, it will entertain as it educates, enticing one to seek out more information on these signs and encouraging budding astronomers to stargaze. Recommended. Reviewer: Sara Rofofsky Marcus (Library Media Connection, January/February 2009). 2004, Frances Lincoln, $16.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781845070748
Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations
Jacqueline Mitton
Pictures by Christina Balit
Star maps by Wil Tirion
A fascination with the night sky has been a part of human experience since the very beginning. Those who came before us organized the stars into visual patterns, many of them based on animals. That information was valued and passed down. Bold, but intricately painted illustrations highlighted with metallic ink for the pivotal stars provide the backbone of this publication. They have the detail and intensity of Persian miniatures, but also incorporate abstract and geometric qualities. Individual constellations that represent animals are illustrated and described in a narrative that makes them come to life. The ten spreads of constellations are followed by a discussion about the nature of stars and our view of the sky, and star maps of the northern and southern sky. 1998, National Geographic Society, $16.95. Ages 2 to 10. Reviewer: Kristin Harris (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780792270690
Added 7/26/11
To stay up to date on new books by this author, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here.
If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.