12 Solar Eclipse Books for Kids

My Solar Eclipse Backstory

I remember witnessing my first solar eclipse when I was in 5th grade. My parents bought a copy of the classic book Someone is Eating the Sun (which I wish I still had), and I was hooked. I have never forgotten standing in the classroom, looking out the windows (we were not allowed to go outside to witness it), and watching the world grow dark. It was quite an experience, and I get a thrill from introducing the subject to students. Here are the best books I have found on the subject. Enjoy perusing the list!

The Best Solar Eclipse Books for Kids

Eclipse by Andy Rash: This book explores a fictional narrative of a boy and his dad planing a special trip to view a solar eclipse together. Written for kids ages 4-8.

Eclipse: How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity (Moments in Science) by Darcy Pattison: This book delves into the historical significance of the 1919 solar eclipse in confirming Einstein’s theory of general relativity, providing insights into the intersection of astronomy and physics in a way that is understandable to kids. Written for 6-12-year-olds.

A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse by Kate Allen Fox: Through vivid descriptions, this book captures the awe-inspiring experience of witnessing a solar eclipse, highlighting its beauty and significance. Designed to inspire and inform, this book is perfect for kids in the 4-7 age range.

Totality!: An Eclipse Guide in Rhyme and Science by Jeffrey Bennett: Combining catchy rhymes with scientific explanations, this book provides a unique perspective on solar eclipses, making the phenomenon accessible and engaging. Explore the related free app as well with upper elementary students.

Solar Eclipse Books for Kids: The Day the Sun Disappeared by Cleo Biles: Geared towards young readers, this book simplifies the concept of a solar eclipse, offering an entertaining educational explanation about viewing this cosmic phenomenon safely. This engaging story with animal characters is designed for younger elementary students.

What Happens During an Eclipse? (Mysteries of Space: Investigate!) by Jennifer Lombardo: Aimed at curious younger elementary minds, this book delves into the mysteries of space, specifically exploring the mechanisms and events that occur during an eclipse. Amazing color photographs are included.

What Is a Solar Eclipse? (Who HQ Now) by Dana Meachen Rau: Part of the “Who HQ Now” series, this book offers an informative overview of solar eclipses, presenting key facts and insights for young readers. Filled with the latest information, this book was written with upper elementary students in mind.

When the Sun Goes Dark by Andrew Fraknol: This fun book offers hands-on ideas for unraveling the science behind eclipses while captivating readers with an interesting story about a family that uses household objects to learn about and prepare for safely viewing a solar eclipse.

Someone Is Eating the Sun (Random House Pictureback) by Ruth A. Sonneborn: This children’s book, published in 1974, presents a whimsical tale about some farm animals who panic during a solar eclipse. Safety tips are offered as well. If you can locate a copy of this book, you are lucky. It is a rare find. As previously noted, I used to have one when I was young, but foolishly gave it away when I got older. Ugh! Younger elementary students will particularly be entertained and informed by this colorful tale.

Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story by Jayme Sandberg: Through a narrative lens, this book explores themes of friendship against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse, blending scientific phenomena with heartwarming storytelling, designed for kids in early elementary grades.

Solar Eclipse 2023/2024: The Complete Kids’ Guide to Great American Solar Eclipse Viewing by Science for a Young Audience by K. J. Honda: This comprehensive guide is tailored for young audiences, providing practical tips and information for safely observing the solar eclipse of 2024 in America. This informative book was written with all elementary grades in mind.

A Solar Eclipse Story: My First Solar Eclipse by Daniel Hallback: This book relates the fictional story of a family preparing to enjoy a solar eclipse together, combining elements of wonder and discovery. Written for kids ages 5 and older.

Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely

Safety is a concern when viewing a solar eclipse. Get a set of solar eclipse glasses to filter out harmful rays. This set has enough to share with students, family, and friends.

Play Solar Eclipse Bingo

Help students learn solar eclipse vocabulary terms by playing solar eclipse bingo. This free virtual bingo template may be played using Google Slides. Make your own copy, then replace the free images and words with solar eclipse images and vocabulary, then reuse the template as many times as you like.

It’s fully customizable when you make your own copy and includes a teacher page, too!

Get my free virtual bingo board!

More Resources for Readers

The best way to encourage a love of reading is to provide kids with many opportunities to engage with a wide variety of books that are of interest to them. At Book and Tech Tips I want to make it easy for you to find great books kids will love. Over the years I’ve also discovered some helpful tools for connecting kids and books.

Online digital libraries are one very handy way to do this. Epic! is one of our favorite online libraries. It’s full of over 25,000 books, learning videos, quizzes and more for kids 12 and under…and it’s free for educators. Click here to learn more and sign up.

Another great free digital library is ReadingIQ. It’s also free for educators and has a wide selection of titles.

If you download the free Libby app, you can access many digital audiobooks from your public library. Audiobooks are perfect for car trips!

Looking for a book that is out of print? Try searching Thriftbooks online. There are over 13 million titles available.

Looking for More Book Ideas?

If you enjoyed this list of haiku books for kids, you might like these book lists as well:

Request a Book List

Not seeing titles that fit with your needs? Request a free, customized book list tailored to your specifications. Just click here to get the process started. I’m all about matching people with books.

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy reading haiku books and composing haiku poems!

Lisa Mitchell is a former classroom teacher, now a school librarian, who likes to use her job as an excuse to stay up far too late reading books and noodling around with tech tools. To learn more about what this website has to offer, click on over to the About page.