Elementary-Level Books About Astronomy

 

This is a list of over 40 books on astronomy that we use and recommend for students in our Experience Astronomy: Elementary homeschool science program. These books about astronomy are ideal for the young reader who wants to learn more about space and range from general to specific topics about planets, constellations, and more.

Books on a Budget

Before making any purchases, we recommend seeing if any of these books are available at your local library or through interlibrary loan.

We’ve created a spreadsheet you can access here to help you know what books are available through open sources (Hoopla, Open Library, and on Youtube as read alouds).

Experience Astronomy Elementary: Reading List

Below is the list of books on astronomy recommended for the Experience Astronomy: Elementary program listed in order of which lesson they are used in. It is not necessary to read every book in this list, and parents should choose astronomy books to read that are most fitting to how they’re using the course at home. Some are for younger readers, others for older readers, and most would make excellent read-alouds for elementary astronomy.

Please note:

  • Many books are repeated through several lessons
  • Consult the supplemental guides for each lesson or the Student Adventure Guide to know the relevant pages in each book.

Elementary Astronomy Books Listed in Alphabetical Order

A New Beginning: Celebrating the Spring Equinox, by Wendy Pfeffer (for northern hemisphere students)

A Walk Through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (4th edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion (for northern hemisphere students)

A Walk Through the Southern Sky: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (3rd edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion (for southern hemisphere students)

Ancient Mesopotamia, by Allison Lassieur

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Beyond Pluto: The Final Frontier of Space (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths

The Earth (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Earth: Our Planet in Space, by Seymour Simon

Exploring Exoplanets, by Deborah Kops

Galaxies (True Books: Space), by Howard K. Trammel

The Heavens Proclaim His Glory, edited by Lisa Stilwell

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World, by Virginia Hamilton

Jupiter (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

The Librarian who Measured the Earth, by Kathryn Lasky

The Library of Constellations: Orion, by Stephanie True Peters

The Library of Constellations: The Big Dipper, by Stephanie True Peters (for northern hemisphere students)

The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer (for northern hemisphere students)

Mars (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Mercury (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Meteors (Space Science), by Simon Rose

Mission Control, This is Apollo, by Andrew Chaikin and Alan Bean

The Moon (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Moonfinder, by Jay Ryan

Moontellers: Myths of the Moon from Around the World, by Lynn Moroney

Neptune (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

The New Astronomy Book, by Danny R. Faulkner

Nicolaus Copernicus: The Earth Is a Planet, by Dennis Brindell Fradin

Once Upon a Starry Night, by Jacqueline Mitton and Christina Balit

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Pluto: From Planet to Dwarf (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

The Reasons for the Seasons, by Gail Gibbons

Saturn (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Solar and Lunar Eclipses, by Ruth Owen

Sun Up, Sun Down: The Story of Day and Night, by Jacqui Bailey and Matthew Lilly

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer (for northern hemisphere students)

The Sun (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Tales of Ancient Egypt, by Roger Lancelyn Green

Tycho Brahe: Pioneer of Astronomy, by Don Nardo

Uranus (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Venus (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season, by Wendy Pfeffer (for northern hemisphere students)

Where Am I? The Story of Maps and Navigation, by A.G. Smith

Why Does the Moon Change Shape, by Isaac Asimov

Elementary Astronomy Books Listed in Lesson Order

Lesson 1

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World, by Virginia Hamilton

Lesson 2

Sun Up, Sun Down: The Story of Day and Night, by Jacqui Bailey and Matthew Lilly

Tales of Ancient Egypt, by Roger Lancelyn Green

Lesson 3

The Reasons for the Seasons, by Gail Gibbons

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer

The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer

Lesson 4

Earth: Our Planet in Space, by Seymour Simon

We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season, by Wendy Pfeffer

A New Beginning: Celebrating the Spring Equinox, by Wendy Pfeffer

Lesson 5

Moonfinder, by Jay Ryan

Why Does the Moon Change Shape, by Isaac Asimov

Lesson 6

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

The Library of Constellations: Orion, by Stephanie True Peters

Lesson 7

Where Am I? The Story of Maps and Navigation, by A.G. Smith

The Library of Constellations: The Big Dipper, by Stephanie True Peters

A Walk Through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (4th edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

A Walk Through the Southern Sky: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (2nd edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths

Lesson 8

Once Upon a Starry Night, by Jacqueline Mitton and Christina Balit

A Walk Through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (4th edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

A Walk Through the Southern Sky: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (2nd edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

Lesson 9

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths

A Walk Through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (4th edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

A Walk Through the Southern Sky: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends (2nd edition), by Milton D. Heifetz and Will Tirion

Lesson 10

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Ancient Mesopotamia, by Allison Lassieur

Lesson 11

Where Am I? The Story of Maps and Navigation, by A.G. Smith

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

The Librarian who Measured the Earth, by Kathryn Lasky

Lesson 12

Solar and Lunar Eclipses, by Ruth Owen

Lesson 13

Moontellers: Myths of the Moon from Around the World, by Lynn Moroney

Solar and Lunar Eclipses, by Ruth Owen

Lesson 14

Meteors (Space Science), by Simon Rose

Lesson 15

Nicolaus Copernicus: The Earth Is a Planet, by Dennis Brindell Fradin

Tycho Brahe: Pioneer of Astronomy, by Don Nardo

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 16

The Earth (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Lesson 17

The Moon (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Mission Control, This is Apollo, by Andrew Chaikin and Alan Bean

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 18

The Sun (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 19

Mercury (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 20

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Venus (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 21

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Mars (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau.

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 22

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 23

Jupiter (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 24

Saturn (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 25

Uranus (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 26

Neptune (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Astronomy (Eyewitness Books), by Kristen Lippincott

Lesson 27

Pluto: From Planet to Dwarf (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Beyond Pluto: The Final Frontier of Space (True Books: Space), by Elaine Landau

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon

Lesson 28

The New Astronomy Book, by Danny R. Faulkner

Exploring Exoplanets, by Deborah Kops

Lesson 29

Galaxies (True Books: Space), by Howard K. Trammel

The New Astronomy Book, by Danny R. Faulkner

Lesson 30

The New Astronomy Book, by Danny R. Faulkner

The Heavens Proclaim His Glory, edited by Lisa Stilwell

We hope you enjoy these books about space for elementary students. They are some of our favorite astronomy books to read with our kids! If you aren’t sure where to get started, The Reasons for the Seasons is a fun overview of how the Earth’s position determines the seasons, Why Does the Moon Change Shape? dives into the Moon, and the True Books: Space series by Elaine Landau are great read-alouds about space and the planets.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This