HOW THE METEORITE GOT TO THE MUSEUM

Hartland follows up earlier titles about museum acquisitions of an ancient Egyptian sphinx and remains of a dinosaur with a lively new one based on the travels of the Peekskill meteorite to the American Museum of Natural History

With a catchy, cumulative “House That Jack Built”–like refrain, a science teacher chronicles for her students the travels of a meteoroid from outer space to the atmosphere over the United States, across several states, into a parked car in Peekskill, N.Y., and on to the museum. Text introducing the various role-players is set on double-page spreads of childlike paintings full of interesting details. The meteor zips across the sky past a barking dog in Kentucky, sports fans with cameras in Pennsylvania and on down through a teenager’s parked car, where various officials investigate. Finally, there are the museum employees who identify, acquire, explain and display it. Each participant’s title is written in capital letters and given a recognizable typeface and color. The verbs in the refrain vary intriguingly: The dog barks, yelps, woofs, howls, ruffs, arfs, yips and yaps. The backmatter includes more about the history of this particular meteorite and meteorites in general.

This lighthearted, behind-the-scenes look at museum work does double duty as a much-needed introduction to meteorites: most children’s closest possible connection to outer space. (Informational picture book. 6-10)