From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
The creators of Fun with Roman Numerals (2008) and Money Madness (2009) collaborate here to explain the concept of time zones. Miller employs an astronaut and his robot dog to serve as guides for Adler's discussion of the differences in times around the globe caused by the earth's rotation in an easterly direction, resulting in later times as one travels east. He notes the difficulties faced (particularly with train travel) before the 1883 adoption of standardized time, describes how the 24 zones are adjusted to accommodate heavily populated areas or a particular country's preferences, and clarifies the need for the prime meridian and international date line. Miller's bold, cartoon-style collage art invites readers to ponder the ideas Adler presents. His use of humorous characters (a smiling sun and several Martians) adds to the book's appeal without detracting from the science. Numerous maps, diagrams, and a few documentary photos also help to clarify complex ideas, and a globe and lamp demonstration will help students visualize time zones.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 3-5-Adler offers a simple but thorough explanation of time zones and why people experience different parts of the day simultaneously depending on their location around the globe. Illustrations of an astronaut and his robot dog provide a perspective from high above Earth, which helps readers visualize the way sunlight reaches different parts of the planet as it rotates. The author explains how the need to set railroad schedules led to setting standard times in the United States and Canada in 1883. A year later 20 countries agreed to divide the world into 24 time zones, establishing Greenwich Mean Time as the starting point. Numerous maps and diagrams help visualize these abstract boundaries, including the international date line in the Pacific. The illustrator even introduces some Martian observers who want to learn about the subject. Adler explains the impact of daylight savings time and includes a simple experiment for readers to see for themselves how noon and midnight occur simultaneously on opposite sides of the globe. The clear visual and verbal presentation of this basic topic makes the book a worthwhile purchase for most libraries.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.