The Universe is made of stories. Tales of the Night Sky takes the reader in a journey through millenia of mythologies woven in starlight.

From ancient Mesopotamia to Georgian England, we are given a brief overview in the history of astronomy and how this brilliant science was built carefully over the ages, one contribution at a time.

The ancient Greeks had a huge influence in this field of study, and so, as expected, it touches upon myths such as Hercules, the Argonauts, Andromeda (are there really three constellations in relation to this myth? impressive), Zeus’ escapades and more. I was familiar with most of the myths mentioned here but I had no idea that they were connected to the constellations. I mean, how could one guess that Cetus shining in the night sky had its roots to the sea monster who was set to devour Andromeda in ancient myths? (I did warn you about Andromeda).

Oh, and of course, when you’re in this topic it’s impossible to escape zodiacal constellations. The 12 constellations that mirror the signs of the zodiac are present here amongst 21 others. It was extremely interesting to learn its origins, specially because astrology is everywhere, and still this book manages to present new information about it.

At the end, there’s also a section on the planets, the sun and the moon and the folklore behind them. For instance, did you know Uranus was called the Georgian Planet in honour of King George III?

Last but not least, the breathtaking illustrations that make up the pages are essential to the reader experience.

I feel as though I have a more intimate connection to the universe than I did when I first opened this book. Not only to the cosmos and the magnificient, but to humanity too.

A little book you would keep on your nightstand, picking it up at times to read about a new constellation and search for it in the sky from your bedroom window. That's the kind of book this is. One that you open on a random page, taking a few moments to learn something new.

The author gives information about the overlap from astrology to astronomy, folklore, constellations, and celestial events. Brought in a concise and clear manner, the information is easy to take in and a light non-fiction book to pick up. An interest in astronomy is something I've always had, but I learned a lot of new things from this book as it's focused on the astrology part of space. The story behind each constellation, the myths that gave them the name, the reason why I'm considered a capricorn and not a gemini.

Where there is folklore on one side, there's plenty of scientific facts to learn as well. Astrology paved the path to astronomy, and that didn't happen without discoveries that showed there's more to the stars than the folklore name they were given and they're not as connected to each other as they might seem.

Constellations and zodiac signs are still used today to describe a person's character or predict the future. Just as they were used a thousand years ago. Whether you believe in astrology or not, it's still fascinating to read about the connections the people made in the past. How astrology was key to making decisions and emperors relied heavily on the consultancy of the ones who could read the stars.

After reading this book, I hope you look up to the sky a little more often. Admire the beauty that lies above us, and find the constellations that you read about. The stars with their long history, some not even existing anymore. Gone, but still visible to us.

4.5 stars

Tales of the Night Sky: Revealing the Mythologies and Folklore behind the Constellations by Robin Kerrod, (London: Quarto Pub., 2020), is a fun mix of science and folklore. Filled with beautiful illustrations, this book also includes an 18” x 24” constellation wall map. Each section discusses a specific element of cosmology – “The Universe,” “Patterns in the Sky,” “Around the Constellations,” and “Wandering Stars” (the ancient Greek term for planets). Written for a young audience, each entry focuses on a specific constellation or planet discussing its history, science, mythology, and folklore (including astrological interpretations). History and science from early thought (in which the sun rotates around the earth) to Copernicus is included; and ancient stories from Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology provided. All topics are addressed in a clear and simple format often on only a single page. For example, the entry on the Constellation of Cancer includes several stories from Greek mythology in which the crab fights with Hercules during his battle with a hydra. It also provides early folklore on the “swarm of stars,” found on the center star, Praesepe, which is called the “beehive cluster.” Some entries also provide a brief astronomy discussion. The associated illustration shows the star chart and the ancient depiction of the Cancer constellation. A glossary is included. For both teachers and storytellers, this book contains the perfect blend of science, history, and folklore to create an entertaining and educational story or introductory lesson plan.

I love the sky and the stars, and I always liked mythology and the stories behind them. I've read books on these topics so this book didn't provide much new information for me.

It contains a brief overview of astronomy, but the main feature of this book are the most notable constellations. Each one is explained through the myth that gave it its name, along with the picture of the stars in the constellation.

I liked that there were pointers on how to find particular constellations in the sky. The illustrations were beautifully done and, aesthetically, the entire book looks great!

I didn't like that, for some reason, a big portion of the text was dedicated to astrology, and I don't understand how relevant traits of certain zodiac signs were for this book.

The last portion of the book is dedicated to planets. The author claims that we know the least about Pluto because no space probe visited it yet. Pluto was, in fact, visited by a New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. For a book that was released in 2020, I consider this a serious oversight.

I would recommend this book to people who don't know much about this topic but want a brief lesson. I also think it would be a perfect book for children who are getting interested in astronomy.

The book gives an insight into the naming and history of constellations, and the stars forming them, it also links astrology to the science of astronomy, explaining how the art of astrology came about.
Reading it as an ebook was very difficult, as the book was clearly meant to be a form of an encyclopedia. I would love it if I could read the hard copy because reading it online was a task.
The information given was highly accurate, and being a stargazer myself it was very helpful and I would definitely apply these findings to my quest of searching meaning in the night sky.

This was an enchanting, succinct read, taking one on a journey into the heavens.

This book focuses on the constellations, featuring details about their discovery, how the ancient cultures perceived them and the mythology surrounding their names. It also features a short history of how we come to learn about the heavens, the mythology of the planets and some references to the astrological considerations concerning the zodiacal constellations.

It can be a great gift for anyone passionate about the skies, especially for beginners. The graphic of this book is pure enchantment! Highly recommended!

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I love astronomy, and seeing as how I live in an area with tons of light pollution, books are one of the only ways I get to enjoy constellations.

This book does a great job breaking down some of the major constellations, giving details about their shapes, the famous stars that make up the constellations, and locations where they are most visible. The writing is simple and easy to read without dumbing down the content.

Although the pictures inside the book were nice, it would have been nice to have a real photograph along with each constellation, which then had the line drawn from star to star to show what the constellation looks like in real life. The pictures are nice, but sometimes, especially in areas with light pollution, it's harder to connect the dots considering how huge the night sky really is.

Overall, this is a great book for anyone who loves the stars and the night sky.

In this book, we explore thirty-three of the constellations that adorn our night sky. We learn about the mythologies and histories behind each constellation and planet that is visible to the naked eye.

The illustrations are drawn very well and you can clearly see how the illustrations match the form of constellations(which is a running joke in the astronomy field).

I don't know whether the book is written for younger audiences, but it definitely reads like one. And there are far more interesting stories and facts about stars that are understandable even to a child. So it's a miss to the target.

Personally, I liked it. There are facts I didn't know before, like the myth behind the Draco constellation or where Vega got its name. I think its a great beginning book to each stargazing enthusiast, but it can be enjoyed by other readers nonetheless.