The poems in The Starry Messenger explore the many facets of Galileo Galilei's life and times--his troubled childhood, his appetites and love affairs, his early scientific discoveries, his famed exploration of the heavens, his house arrest, his blindness. Emphasizing Galileo's independent nature and his affection for his mistress and daughter, George Keithley provides one of the most personal portraits of the astronomer ever written. In the process, he depicts the sensuous world of religion, magic, and science that was seventheenth-century Florence, Padua, Venice, Ostia, and Rome.

"The Starry Messenger: Galileo's Universe" delves into the life and work of Galileo Galilei, a pivotal figure in the scientific revolution. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, this book explores Galileo's revolutionary observations of the cosmos, his challenges to prevailing scientific beliefs, and the profound impact of his discoveries on our understanding of the universe. From his development of the telescope to his advocacy of heliocentrism, Galileo's enduring legacy is brought to life, providing readers with a captivating glimpse into the mind of a true visionary and the profound changes he brought to our understanding of the cosmos.

Students will learn about Galileo's life and the challenges he faced as they participate in a performance with this dynamic script. With roles written at various reading levels, teachers can implement differentiation and English language learner strategies so that all students can participate. Students will improve their fluency, and also practice skills like reading aloud, interacting cooperatively, and using expressive voices and gestures while storytelling. This leveled script includes an accompanying poem and song for additional fluency practice.

"If they had seen what we see, they would have judged as we judge." -- Galileo Galilei 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. Galileo kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the starts down to earth for everyone to see. By changing the way people saw the galaxy, Galileo was also changing the way they saw themselves and their place in the universe. This was very exciting, but to some to some it was deeply disturbing. Galileo has upset the harmonious view of heaven and earth that had been accepted since ancient times. He had turned the world upside down. In this amazing new book, Peter Sís employs the artist's lens to give us an extraordinary view of the life of Galileo Galilei. Sís tells his story in language as simple as a fairy tale, in pictures as rich and tightly woven as a tapestry, and in Galileo's own words, written more than 350 years ago and still resonant with truth. This title has Common Core connections. Starry Messenger is a 1997 Caldecott Honor Book.