Touch the Universe: A Review

Touch the Universe: A Review

The Braille Monitor

April 2003

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Touch

the Universe: A Review

by Carol Castellano

Carol

Castellano

From the Editor: Carol

Castellano is first vice president of the National Organization of Parents of

Blind Children. Here is her brief review of an exciting new book:

Many parents and teachers

of blind and visually impaired children have been excitedly awaiting publication

of Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy, after receiving

word of the gala publication event held at the National Center for the Blind

in Baltimore. This wonderful book is now available from the Joseph Henry Press

in Washington, D.C.

Images

of the planets, stars, and galaxies captured by astronomers with the Hubble

Space Telescope form the core of the book. These gorgeous, full-color images

are also beautifully rendered in raised line form. Accompanying each illustration

is a brief explanation in large print and Braille. Author Noreen Grice, an astronomy

teacher and planetarium educator who also wrote the Touch the Stars books,

writes in clear, simple terms easily understandable by children from third grade

or so on up. Following each explanation is a brief guide to viewing the tactile

image. Grice's enthusiasm for astronomy and wonder at the universe are evident

throughout the book. Wonderful astronomy terms like "local supercluster,"

"gaseous nebulae," and "globular cluster NGC" add to the

fun.

The

illustrations begin with the Hubble space telescope orbiting earth and proceed

farther and farther away from our home planet, all the way to the most distant

reaches of the universe ever photographed. How exciting that there is now a

way for blind children to get a glimpse of a world they ordinarily would not

get to see! I tried the book out on three blind students--a fifth grader, an

eighth grader, and a senior in high school. One of the kids almost refused to

give it back to me. I am sure blind adults would also appreciate and enjoy the

book.

If you've ever marveled

at the size and complexity of the universe and if you'd like to awaken or nourish

that wonder in your child, be sure to get this book.

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