Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/01/2020 Gr 2–5—Edwin Hubble, a white American astronomer, loved looking at the stars in the Missouri sky. Though his father discouraged his fascination, his grandfather built him a telescope for his eighth birthday. As he gazed into the night, he wondered, "How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?" These three questions are repeated throughout the book. Hubble's father did not want his son to study astronomy. Hubble studied law at the University of Oxford in England before becoming a teacher and basketball coach. When his father died in 1914, he was free to pursue his true calling. He got a job at the Mount Wilson Observatory, home to the world's largest telescope. There he studied the Andromeda Nebula to determine if other galaxies existed. Drawing on the work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, he was able to prove that the Nebula was too far away to be part of the Milky Way galaxy. While Hubble did help build the Hale telescope and was the first to use it in 1949, he did not build the Hubble, which bears his name. Marcero's illustrations, rendered in acrylic, watercolor, pencil, and ink, use a primary palette of blue, black, and gray. Readers will appreciate Hubble's passion and perseverance. They will also marvel at the great size of the telescopes when they see him seated inside. While the text is generally brief and accessible, several diagrams, maps, and more complex explanations are included. However, the bulk of technical information is appended in two notes for true enthusiasts. VERDICT A quiet, inspirational picture book biography.—Barbara Auerbach, Cairo P.L., NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 12/01/2020 From an early age Edwin Hubble loved stars, a passion supported by his grandfather's gift of a telescope at age eight. Although he trained as an attorney (as his father wished), he never practiced; eventually he studied astronomy and secured a position at Mount Wilson Observatory, in California. Throughout, Marinov's simple text emphasizes Hubble's lifelong questions: How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from? She also clarifies several of his most important accomplishments: measuring distances between stars, the expansion of the universe (Hubble's law), and his construction of the Hale telescope. Marcero's mixed-media illustrations (acrylic, watercolor, pencil, and ink) use a limited palette (black and white, with accents in blues, greens, and purples) reflective of the night skies depicted. Human figures appear in appropriate period dress, and celestial bodies sparkle elegantly against pitch-black skies. Although there is very little personal information included, the appended author and illustrator notes and further information about Hubble's discoveries make this useful for primary astronomy units. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.