One of the most stupid decisions of all time is was of course to demote Pluto from planet to dwarf planet. Cixin Liu’s SF series even suggests it will still be spoken of in 200 years! I for one, strongly feel for Pluto, so when I came across this little booklet in which Pluto searches for answers and struggles with the anxiety caused by the sudden change, I just had to read it.

It was a cutesy little book. Pluto, in a Science Museum, is looking why people would be investigating lots of things instead of him. Along the way he discovers that in science people have to changes ideas when new evidence arrives (think Galilei), and makes some friends. As a scientist I totally agree, as a person I feel for Pluto. Luckily its demotion doesn’t mean it will no longer be studied.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Pluto is Peeved is a cute comic book style picture book. Pluto used to be the 9th Planet in our Solar System but has been demoted and he wants to know why. Pluto takes a trip through the museum to find out why he was demoted. On his journey he meets other exhibits from the largest to the smallest to find out why he was demoted. What he does learn is what all Scientists are interested in and learns that he himself is just one of those things. 

Cute interesting and educational book. The book has really great comic book style illustrations. At the back of the book there is an Authors note as well as the reason Pluto is no longer our 9th planet. As well as answers to some some of the questions brought p by the other exhibits in the book like dinosaurs and germs. There is also a glossary, further reading and websites to go along with the science brought up in the book. 

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.

I love Carolyn Haines books and this one did not disappoint. I miss Sarah Booth, but Raissa James is growing on me. As a matter of fact, I think I liked this second book in the series better than the first.

I liked the addition of Zelda Fitzgerald that gave it a little credibility, however, I know it was still fiction. I can't help it, but sometimes I wondered if Raissa had any relations to Jitty, Sarah Booth's haint. HA!

A good story with a lot of creepiness involved that I loved!

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

In no order whatsoever (except "as I thought about it"):

• Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong - Angela Saini 
• How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming - Mike Brown 
• 13 Things That Don't Make Sense - Michael Brooks 
• The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars - Dava Sobel 
• Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? - Frans de Waal 
• The Day the Universe Changed - James Burke 
• How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World - Steven Johnson 
• Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space - Janna Levin 
• Seeing Further - Bill Bryson 
• Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life - Helen Czerski 

Nonfiction Science Bookclub on booklikes is at http://booklikes.com/book-clubs/90/buddy-read-for-the-invention-of-nature 

Here's a topic that isn't often covered: how museums design their exhibits. You know what else isn't often covered: how science happens. There are myriad books about discoverers and discoveries, and many about new fields as they develop. But this is the only time I can recall reading a book on the evolving science behind an issue like Is Pluto a planet? And although the book isn't specifically targeting a young readership, I think it could be wonderfully popular with middle school readers, because 1) Neil deGrasse Tyson is amusing 2) he is very good at explaining things, and 3) students are featured commentators.

I'm not going to try to summarize the book, because it's a quick read, and highly enjoyable, and is itself a summary of more than a hundred years of astronomy. I loved it, as did my middle-school child who wants to design robots for NASA one day.

Word of warning, though: don't read the absurdly long photo captions if you're actually reading the text.

Library copy