We’ve finally had some sunny weather in the UK, so I’ve been catching up in the garden to ensure I’ve done the last jobs before winter arrives. It also means that my round-up of DK’s “Summer of Stem” books doesn’t feel quite as anachronistic, even though we’re entering the last third of September! After reviewing books about the possibilities of future tech and how modern tech works, the third book in my review round-up blasts us into orbit. Amazing Space offers a comprehensive introduction to all things astronomical.
What Is Amazing Space?
Amazing Space is a 170+ page hardback book by Sophie Allen and Josh Barker. It is aimed at slightly younger readers than the first two books in this review series. You’d still need to be a good reader to draw the most from Amazing Space, but the wider spaced text, larger font, and a higher picture-to-word ratio probably means that children aged 7 and upwards will find much to enjoy about the book. That said, there are plenty of technical explanations here too, meaning it will retain interest for older readers.
The opening pages of the book are devoted to Earth and humanity’s relationship with space, whether with auroras or famous astronauts. This ends by discussing the possibility of exploring neighboring planets, which neatly segues into 50 pages dedicated to the Solar System—not just the planets but all our celestial neighbors including the Oort Cloud and dwarf planets.
Beyond that, the book travels out of the Solar System to examine deeper cosmological phenomena, including how we look into deep space, how stars are born, and what happens when they die. The book closes by discussing galaxies and exoplanets, before offering a final word on “space mysteries.”
Like all good reference books, we finish with a comprehensive glossary and index.
Why Read Amazing Space?
One small reason is that you can sing Amazing Space to the tune of “Amazing Grace,” although that might just be me.
40 years ago, I lived for books like Amazing Space. I’d carry them around with me wherever I went. To a degree, my knowledge of space has calcified from around that point. After all, space can’t have changed that much in that time, right?
Books like Amazing Space bring home what nonsense that sentiment is. The Universe and the Solar System may not have changed, but what we do with it, how we view it, and what we understand about it has developed massively since ten-year-old me learned that Jupiter, too, had a ring. Books like Amazing Space parcel up all these voyages of discovery into easily digestible chunks, for the next generation of wannabe spacefarers. There are great explanations, not only of the physical properties of local planets but also of less tangible ideas such as types of light and the gravitational pull of galaxies.
With DK’s trademark blend of informative text, great drawings, and detailed photographs, Amazing Space is an excellent choice for children looking to take their interest in space travel, the Solar System, and the rest of the Universe to the next level.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Amazing Space, you can do so here in the US and here in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
