Icarus at the Edge of Time

Great short book. For kids? Yes. For adults? Yes, if young at heart. A timeless tale of a young rebel going to a black hole, and wrangling with time. He survives, but Einstein and his laws twist up life. Enjoy the story. Encounter some science. See things differently.

Icarus at the Edge of Time

Marvellous by its simplicity, the lack of other images than the fotos from space and its astonishing conclusion.

I read about this book in SEED magazine as it was one of two books featured in an article that asked how to best get kids interested in science. The article praised this book so I picked it up at B&N. I have now just purchased a second copy for my niece. It's a short but exquisite contribution to children's literature.

Without giving anything away, the book rewrites the Icarus myth as a means for young readers to see one of Einstein's important discoveries play itself out in short story form.

Thankfully, the book is a mere thirty pages and does not include a science lecture. This allows it to be read by kids, or to kids as a bedtime story in the tradition of the classics, from Max to Horton, with the intriguing difference that the storyline is steered by scientific principles. The conversations it has already sparked in my house, about time and stars and space travel, are just great.

Some Amazon reviewers seem to be looking for another kind of book. You won't learn physics from this book and your child won't either. But in some kids, the book will surely plant the seeds of interest in science.

I read the other reviews here before purchasing this book and heard about the book on NPR, so I was surprised to see how little science the story actually had. It is an interesting re-telling of the story of Icarus, but that was about it. While there is some science in the story, it is extremely basic and the author doesn't explain "why" regarding the black hole which, to my family, is the interesting part of science. I bought the book for my sons (ages 8 and 11).

In this visually impressive, artfully designed book, the old Myth of Icarus is cleverly updated into the far future, while at the same time seamlessly weaving in some of the science behind black holes. What an inventive way to get kids (and their parents!) turned onto science. No pressure--no classroom--no tests. Using a minimum of words to convey the story, Dr. Greene's writing inspires the reader to imagine a journey to a black hole and to really experience the emotional tug of Einstein and relativity. I decided to buy this book after I read about it in the Wall Street Journal--they called it a 'terrific book.' I couldn't agree more.

Having read the reviews so far on Amazon, I noticed that some readers were surprised to receive a book meant for a younger audience. I found this puzzling since Amazon clearly describes the book as a 34 page board book, listing it in several categories including 'juvenile fiction.' The buyer is also able to click on two of the book's pages, so it is hard to know where the confusion is coming from. Perhaps in their surprise to see a children's book come from such a learned author, some Amazon buyers have described this as a 'pre-school' book. This is inaccurate, although a pre-schooler would certainly love to look at the gorgeous photographs. I would recommend this book to elementary school age kids, adolescents, and adults. This is because 'Icarus at the Edge of Time' truly is a 'book for all ages,' with its stunning visual imagery, poignant story line, and accessible information about the science of black holes.