Galileo Galilei
I, Galileo
by Bonnie Christensen
Galileo’s contributions were numerous. They included the telescope and the microscope. And his ideas were world-changing especially the sun-centric solar system. Albert Einstein called him “the father of modern science.” But in his own time he was branded a heretic and imprisoned in his home. He was a man who insisted on his right to pursue the truth, no matter what the cost. This made his life as interesting and instructive as his ideas. 8-12 years
Starry Messenger
By Peter Sis
In every age there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man, a genius, and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. He kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the stars down to earth for everyone to see. 6-10 years
Who Was Galileo?
By Patricia Brennan Demuth, Illustrated by John O’Brien
Born in Pisa, Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era’s great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope to observe the heavens. He turned long-held ideas about the universe topsy turvy with his support of a sun-centric solar system. This brilliant man lived in a time when speaking scientific truth to those in power was still a dangerous proposition. 8-12 years
Galileo Galilei and the Movement of the Planets (Graphic Biography)
By Jordi Bayarri Dolz
Galileo Galilei believed in the power of scientific observation over traditional ideas. His close study of the night sky helped support the theory that planets move around the sun. His defiant personality made him powerful enemies. This graphic biography covers Galilei’s life from his early work with projectiles to his revolutionary look at the cosmos. It also depicts the backlash to his bold ideas and his trial under the Inquisition. 10-14 years
Galileo! Galileo!
By Holly Trechter and Jane Donovan
For hundreds of years, people have dreamed of Jupiter, the king of the planets. But the trip across the solar system is so long and dangerous that it seems almost impossible. This is the incredible, true story of NASA’s Galileo Mission. It’s narrated by the medieval genius Galileo, who connects with middle-grade readers in a humorous way. Strap in for this epic adventure of imagination, brilliance, and plain old grit. 8-12 years
Galileo Galilei and the Pisa Tower:
A Bilingual Picture Book About the Italian Astonomer
(Italian and English Text)
By Nancy Bach, Illustrated by Leo Latti
Young readers and language learners will find this bilingual book easy to read and understand. This simple story introduces the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, his life, work and discoveries. All ages
Along Came Galileo
By Jeanne Bendick
One of the most important figures to come out of the awakening world of the Renaissance was Galileo Galilei. Often referred to as the “Archimedes of his time, Galileo was forever asking questions. Is it possible to measure heat? Is it possible to weigh air? Does the earth stand still or does it move? How fast do objects fall to the earth? His questions led to some of the most important answers of the scientific world and to his contributions to astronomy, physics, and mathematics. All ages
Galileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities
By Richard Panchyk
Galileo, one of history’s best-known scientists, made revolutionary discoveries and proposed sometimes controversial theories that changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. The activities in this book allow children to try some of Galileo’s experiments on their own. 9 and up
Galileo’s Journal 1609-1610
By Jeanne Pettenati, Illustrated by Paolo Rui
On his summer vacation, Galileo Galilei hears about the newly invented telescope and decides to build one of his own. Turning his new “spyglass” to the night sky, he sees things that no one has ever seen before. He discovers that the Milky Way is made of stars, and that the moon has mountains. He notices a strange formation of “stars” that will eventually turn people’s understanding of the world upside down. Fictional journal accounts capture the famous Italian scientist’s curiosity and wonder as he makes some of the most amazing discoveries in history. 6-9 years
Galileo: The Genuis Who Charted the Universe
By Phillip Steele
Galileo made the first effective use of the refracting telescope to discover important new facts about astronomy. His observations led him to support Copernicus’s claim that Earth and the other planets circled the sun. His genius lay in the way he approached scientific problems. He reduced problems to simple terms on the basis of experience and common-sense logic. Then he analyzed and resolved the problems according to simple mathematical descriptions, opening the way for the development of modern mathematical physics. 8-12 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
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You may like: Galileo vs. Aristotle https://barbaralowell.com/galileo-vs-aristotle
Galileo For Kids: https://www.ducksters.com/biography/scientists/galileo_galilei.php