The Girl Who Named Pluto

The Story of Venetia Burney

Illustrated by Elizabeth Haidle
An empowering, inspiring--and accessible!--nonfiction picture book about the eleven-year-old girl who actually named the newly discovered Pluto in 1930.

When Venetia Burney's grandfather reads aloud from the newspaper about a new discovery--a "ninth major planet" that has yet to be named--her eleven-year-old mind starts whirring. She is studying the planets in school and loves Roman mythology. "It might be called Pluto," she says, thinking of the dark underworld. Grandfather loves the idea and contacts his friend at London's Royal Astronomical Society, who writes to scientists at the Lowell Observatory in Massachusetts, where Pluto was discovered. After a vote, the scientists agree unanimously: Pluto is the perfect name for the dark, cold planet.
Here is a picture book perfect for STEM units and for all children--particularly girls--who have ever dreamed of becoming a scientist.
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Arizona Young Reader's Award
  • SELECTION | 2020
    International Literacy Association
ELIZABETH HAIDLE is an author-illustrator who specializes in nonfiction comics. She is the art and editorial director at Illustoria magazine. Her illustrations have appeared in graphic novels, picture books and board books. Recent projects include a Tarot For All Ages deck and fabric design for loungewear. She publishes short-form comics online and in print, exploring poetry, book reviews and memoir. She teaches online and in-person workshops about experimental comics and personal art practice and lives in Portland, Oregon. View titles by Elizabeth Haidle

Educator Guide for The Girl Who Named Pluto

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

An empowering, inspiring--and accessible!--nonfiction picture book about the eleven-year-old girl who actually named the newly discovered Pluto in 1930.

When Venetia Burney's grandfather reads aloud from the newspaper about a new discovery--a "ninth major planet" that has yet to be named--her eleven-year-old mind starts whirring. She is studying the planets in school and loves Roman mythology. "It might be called Pluto," she says, thinking of the dark underworld. Grandfather loves the idea and contacts his friend at London's Royal Astronomical Society, who writes to scientists at the Lowell Observatory in Massachusetts, where Pluto was discovered. After a vote, the scientists agree unanimously: Pluto is the perfect name for the dark, cold planet.
Here is a picture book perfect for STEM units and for all children--particularly girls--who have ever dreamed of becoming a scientist.

Awards

  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Arizona Young Reader's Award
  • SELECTION | 2020
    International Literacy Association

Author

ELIZABETH HAIDLE is an author-illustrator who specializes in nonfiction comics. She is the art and editorial director at Illustoria magazine. Her illustrations have appeared in graphic novels, picture books and board books. Recent projects include a Tarot For All Ages deck and fabric design for loungewear. She publishes short-form comics online and in print, exploring poetry, book reviews and memoir. She teaches online and in-person workshops about experimental comics and personal art practice and lives in Portland, Oregon. View titles by Elizabeth Haidle

Guides

Educator Guide for The Girl Who Named Pluto

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)