Space-ology

This series zeroes in on the space experience, explaining what it’s like to become an astronaut, live and work in space, and journey to Mars. Action-packed photographs and a picture glossary help provide context to young readers while a concluding experiment extends the learning.

Lots of pictures and inviting, informative text offer a glimpse into some of the training that aspiring astronauts need to complete before they’re permitted to travel into space in this installment in the Spaceology series (6 titles). Thoughtful, magazine-style page layouts feature photos of astronauts at work, and each photo is clearly labeled to identify equipment or an activity. This title glosses over the science necessary for space travel and instead focuses on the day-to-day realities of training to be an astronaut, with a big emphasis on the amount of preparation and practice involved, including living in an ISS simulator, learning Russian, and spending days at a time in a cave to learn how to live and work in a pitch black environment. Kids already fascinated by space travel will likely be delighted by these insider details, which shed light on multifaceted work of astronauts. A picture glossary and occasional critical thinking questions add depth to this engaging, high-interest title for the younger set.

Little astronauts’ hearts will pound faster as they not only learn more about what astronauts do in space, but take in the real life photographs of astronauts at work on the space station.

What do astronauts do in space? This book gives a nice overview, including everything from repairing the station to experiments to chores. The book is divided into nine, two-page chapters, each one concentrating on a specific task astronauts have. The information is clear and easy to understand, and offers interesting facts. Even more fun and, perhaps, surprising facts are presented in text bubbles referring to the colorful photographs. To wrap things up, an easy and interesting experiment is offered at the end—one even younger listeners can do. There is a glossary which helps define more difficult and specific terms along with pictures to make these definitions clear. At the end, there’s an index to help locate specific information quickly; a list of books to find more information; and a website where more information can be found.

This is a great read for kids interested in learning more about astronauts and what they do on the space station. The text is clear and precise, while remaining interesting for the age group. The author never talks down to the kids, but presents the facts as they are. The addition of lesser known numbers and information make it fun to explore, and might even surprise adults at times.

The photographs make this book a real treat. Each one presents real life astronauts as they perform the respective tasks on the station. The photos are bright and clear. While some moments are serious, the book brings in several more humorous tidbits, which make it more fun to read. Even the astronauts are presented with different emotions and in different situations, giving everything a realistic feel, kids will be able to relate to. It’s sure to be a treasure for kids who dream of flying to space themselves one day.

This unique series provides a comprehensive look at space exploration, with topics ranging from the features of the solar system to the life of an astronaut to a hypothetical look at life on Mars and finding an Earth-like planet. Each title effectively conveys an immense topic in an accessible and entertaining way, relying on a controlled vocabulary and five to six simple sentences per page. Appealing page layouts, featuring full-color ­photographs, as well as labels and fun facts, are eye-catching and support comprehension. Each entry contains a relevant science experiment, such as designing a tiny spacecraft and building a Mars habitat. Text features include bold words highlighting important vocabulary (orbits, satellites), an index, and a visual glossary. VERDICT: Written at a second grade reading level, this is an excellent STEM series for early elementary students in a general collection, as well as for older ­hi-lo readers.