A Planetary Fairytale: Acceptance

A Planetary Fairytale: Acceptance is the first of a planned series of children's books about Earth and other planets in our solar system. This one begins with an argument among Sun, Moon and the planets about whether to accept changes that followed the 2006 discovery of Eris, a planet orbiting beyond Pluto and larger than he. Subsequent decisions of astronomers promoted the largest asteroid, Ceres, to planet, too. Although more recently they've decided to call them "minor planets" and reclassify Pluto as such, this fairytale is about the beginning of the changes. In an entertaining way, and without mention of either big word, astronomy or astrology, the story is about changes in both since the discovery of Eris. The full color illustrations are paintings of the planets in their relative sizes and colors-not cartoons- just round orbs with celestial backgrounds, and shading to suggest facial expressions that fit what each planet is saying. Finally, Sun demands that they stop arguing and get along with each other, or he will decide which two of them to banish from his solar system. Moon chimes in with a gentler approach, the planets respond, and the fairytale ends quite happily.