Spacecraft
On January 31, 1958, the United States sent its first satellite, Explorer 1, into space. In the 1970s, NASA developed the space shuttle program. Earlier space capsules could not be used again after returning to Earth. Today, the United States and Russia are joined by other countries and are building the International Space Station. Very advanced and complex satellites, such as GOES(Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) help meteorologists in their everyday work of forecasting weather. Moreover, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is capturing beautiful images of spiral galaxies, planet-forming discs, and buried starts that will help scientists in understanding the history of the universe. Two Mars Exploration Rovers are launched in 2003 are still sending images from the red planet. The following books offer readers a look at some of the amazing machines being built as part of NASAs and other space program such as satellites, rockets and shuttles. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq_4Mm-1-C0 and watch an actual launch and there is a wealth of information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite
Visit our Themed Reviews section for more space books!
Reviews
Look to the Stars
Buzz Aldrin
Paintings by Wendell Minor
Buzz Aldrin was part of the first Moon landing and the second man to set foot on the Moon His story is one of single-minded achievement from a family that had a history of interest in aviation. His father was a pilot, and he owned signed pictures of the Wright brothers and Amelia Earhart. With the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing mission coming up, Buzz takes readers back into the past, to his own momentous mission, and then speculates on what the future holds. He starts his story with Copernicus and moves quickly through other great scientists like Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. Readers learn about the Wright brothers, Charles Lindberg, and most startling of all, the fact that only sixty-six years elapsed from the Wright brothers first successful flight to the landing on the Moon. Did you know that the astronauts took a piece of fabric from that first plane with them? Other scientists who worked on rocketry also made space flight possible. Sputnik was the gauntlet thrown down by the Soviet Union, and the United States raced to keep up and surpass what the Russians had done. The commitment was extensive and involved hundreds of thousands of people and the dedication of enormous resources as well as the establishment of NASA. Manned flight is traced from the Mercury missions to Gemini and the Apollo program—with the missions laid out on a spread that also includes a picture of the lunar module. Aldrin notes that the current focus is on living in space for longer periods of time, now that the space race has finally come to an end with the agreement to cooperate on building the International Space Station (ISS). The primary objective for the immediate future will be unmanned probes which will provide information for the eventual landing on the Moon and the establishing of a base there. Could a trip to Mars be next? Those seeking adventure can dream about being participants in these programs. Along the bottom of each of the pages are quotes from individuals who have had a powerful influence on the space program. Do not miss the Afterword or the timeline that recaps the history of man's interest in space from Copernicus forward. The closing page contains selected resources and a host of websites for curious minds. 2009, Putnam Penguin, Ages 8 up, $17.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-24721-7
NASA
Steve Kortenkamp
Part of the "First Facts" series for young readers, this Solar System set has been updated for 2008. Each slim, square book presents the basics in six to eight chapters with bright color photos and drawings, adding extra interest with "Fun Facts" and "Amazing but True!" pages. While the text is brief and written in short sentences, the vocabulary and some concepts may be difficult for early readers unless they are already fans of outer space. This title introduces NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) as a government agency where people work at building rockets, exploring space, and making airplanes safer. The U.S. started NASA in 1957 to help win the space race; now it has workers all over the country. The author describes NASA's exploration of the Moon, development of space shuttles, and space probes that have explored all the planets (robot rovers have been on Mars for three years). In order to return to the Moon and to practice for a Mars landing, NASA is building a new spacecraft named Orion. "Amazing but True!" informs young astronomers that some objects (like smoke detectors and joystick controllers for video games) were developed by NASA. A "Think Big!" page challenges readers to consider what new NASA mission they might plan. Each book has the usual glossary, bibliography, and index; the one web site listed by FactHound (recommended as a source for Internet sites) has pictures and games from NASA's kidsclub. 2008, Capstone, $21.26. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-0062-0
ISBN: 1-4296-0062-4
Nifty Thrifty Space Crafts
P.M. Boekhoff
Budding, crafty astronauts will fly towards Nifty Thrifty Space Crafts. Boekhoff offers really nifty thrifty ideas for hands on activities that will appeal to both boys and girls. Each crafts includes an "Are You Ready?" section that serves as an educational component detailing the science that inspired it, a "Get Set" section that details supplies needed, and a "Let's Go!" section with detailed step-by-step instructions. Crafts found in this text are both toys and useful items; they include: a star finder, a moon mobile, a pen holder disguised as a space shuttle, the classic space glider, an intricate space colony, a planet, an earth greeting card, a starry night poster, a comet frame, and a flying saucer. Also included is a moon phase chart complete with patterns. Each page offers color photographs of the completed crafts and depicts the craft in process. While the crafts included are not like science experiences in nature, they do make a fun complement for the science class learning about outer space. Part of the "Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids" series. 2008, Enslow Elementary/Enslow Publishers, $22.60. Ages 8 to 9. Reviewer: Elizabeth Sulock (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7660-2783-1
ISBN: 0-7660-2783-X
Oliver, the Spaceship, and Me
Lynn Rowe Reed
Carter and Oliver are best friends. They "love all the same things—especially planning to be astronauts someday." On Oliver's birthday, he is allowed to invite one friend to the planetarium, but he takes another boy instead. Carter is so mad he vows to build his own spaceship and fly off into space without his former best friend. He turns his I'll-show-him-attitude into good old can-do-American-spirit. He sketches a plan of his spaceship, complete with meteor detectors and a compartment for candy and soda then draws up a list of subcontractors. His grown-up helpers, from the architect to the electrician, accept the first ride as payment. All goes well until the end when Carter realizes he only has one extra seat. Who will he take on his first journey? Reed's illustrations are enormously appealing. Naïve bold acrylic figures are reminiscent of a child's finger painting. The reader feels he created the art himself. Photoshop-collaged tools and building materials add a touch of realism, further fueling the reader's imagination. In books, all things are possible, even blasting off into outer space in a homemade spaceship with one's forever best friend. Charming and fun. 2009, Holiday, Ages 4 to 8, $16.95. Reviewer: Candice Ransom (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2193-0
Orbiting Eyes: The Science of Artificial Satellites
Don Nardo
While artificial satellites are a part of everyday life in today's world (for things such as television and global positioning systems), it was only about fifty years ago that the first artificial satellite was launched. When the Soviet Union did that, they started a space race between their country and the United States, which prompted many technological advances. Nardo explains the science behind natural satellites first and then delves into the science that allows us to build and launch artificial satellites. Uses of satellites comprise the remaining chapters. "Surveying the Earth's Wonders" describes viewing weather and other items not possible except from outer space. "Staying in Touch" talks about using Global Positioning Systems and phones to aid humans in connecting with one another. Countries are "Protecting the Homeland" with spy satellites and "Studying the Heavens" for basic research. Complete with many photographs and a glossary, this is an excellent resource for beginning astronomy students. 2009, Compass Point Books, Ages 10 to 12, $27.99. Reviewer: Amie Rose Rotruck (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7565-4058-6
Rockets
David Baker and Heather Kissock
Rockets is part of the "Exploring Space" series. This book focuses on the history of rockets and how they have (and still do) impact the world. After defining what a rocket is--including some great photographs of fireworks, which are a type of rocket--the book explains the various parts of a rocket (with numbers corresponding to the various parts) and how they all work together. One of the greatest contributors to the modern rocket is Wernher von Braun. The book explains his background growing up in Germany and how he helped to develop missiles for the German forces in World War II. Then it also tells how von Braun moved to the United States and became part of NASA. His success allowed NASA to send rockets (with people in them) not only to space, but all the way to the moon. This is a good resource for a simple explanation of what rockets are and the continued importance that rockets play in the every day life of millions of people around the world. Also included is a glossary, index, list of websites, a "daily schedule" of someone in space, comprehension test for readers, and a list of "further resources," which is simply a list of "key" words for the reader to research at his or her local library. 2009, Weigl Publishers Inc, $26.00 and $9.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Joella Peterson (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5903-6771-1
ISBN: 1-5903-6771-5
Space Disasters
Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
As this book reveals, the history of space travel is unfortunately filled with disasters, as getting into space has proven to be both costly and incredibly complex. The authors use an outstanding array of photos to illustrate the shuttles and their crews, including brilliant photos of several launches. Poignant photos of astronauts in training also bring home the dangers these professionals face. As the book describes, there are three main types of errors--equipment failure, human failure, and those caused by space debris. The authors include disasters that have occurred around the world, not just in the U.S., further reminding readers that as other nations develop space travel, more disasters are likely. Even here in the U.S. as recently as 2003, the shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry. Even after such disasters, safety improvements are regrettably sometimes discarded due to cost, as well as the complexity of making changes to existing craft. However, as the authors report, NASA's goal is to finish the International Space Station using the existing shuttles, and then begin building new craft using improved materials and practices. Hopefully, the future of space travel will ultimately be safer, leading to a continued expansion of human knowledge. 2008, Lerner Publications Company/Lerner Publishing Group, $27.93. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Laura Ruttig (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6775-2
Space Exploration
Connie Jankowski
Part of the "Mission: Science" series, this book addresses some of the biggest questions of our time. What is out there? Why do we want to go? How did we start exploring? Jankowski answers: "Astronomers once thought Earth was the center of the universe. Now we know that Earth is just a tiny part of a vast cosmos. ... And our solar system is a tiny part of something much bigger..." But it isn't the abstract cosmos that will appeal most, it is the concrete descriptions of what goes on in the International Space Station, the explanation of dangers in space, and the details about of how we are gaining in our powers of observation in space. Each section is illustrated with stunning photos and well-developed drawings. Sidebars and captions in the text describe the history of discovery. A fairly easy read for mid-graders, the book should fit in well with the new science standards that ask the students to explore more science on their own. Backmatter includes a science activity, glossary, timeline, additional resources and index. 2009, Compass Point Books, $26.10. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Amy S. Hansen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7565-3958-0
ISBN: 0-7565-3958-7
Space Robots
Steven Kortenkamp
This engaging , easy to read nonfiction text will appeal to young readers who are interested in space and robots. Organized into four interesting chapters, readers will learn amazing things such as how space robots work, how rovers have explored Mars, how robot submarines can melt ice, and how some robots, called robonauts, look and act like astronauts. On each page of this interesting book there are full-color photographs, photodiagrams, and incredible facts that help explain the text and aid in comprehension for young readers. Important subject specific vocabulary words are printed in red ink and in the back of the text and there is a glossary which contains all these important words. Young children interested in learning about space robots will enjoy this engaging text and they will be excited and inspired to learn about the designs for space robots in the future. This appealing and innovative text is one of six interesting books in a series called Incredible Space, all of which are specifically designed for beginning, reluctant, and struggling readers. Written in simple, short sentences that contain controlled vocabulary, young readers will enjoy these texts in or out of the elementary classroom. Readers of this exciting, easy-to-read nonfiction will learn about the frontiers of space and space exploration, while developing their skills as capable and enthusiastic independent readers. 2009, Capstone Press, Ages 4 to 9, $22.65. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2322-3
Spacecraft
Steven Kortenkamp
The information contained in this small appealing text is fascinating, engaging, and cleverly presented. Young readers will be intrigued to learn about the spacecraft of today as well as ways in which spacecraft may help astronauts explore space in the future. For example, one of the incredible facts in this interesting text is that although Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system, a robotic space probe called the Venus Express is flying near Venus now. This space probe is carrying cameras and computers and its mission to learn more about our hottest planet. Young readers will learn that space probes have explored every planet in out solar system. On each page of this interesting book there are full-color photographs, photodiagrams, and incredible facts that help explain the text and aid in comprehension for young readers. Important subject specific vocabulary words are printed in red ink and in the back of the text and there is a glossary which contains all these important words. Young children interested in learning about spacecraft will enjoy this engaging text and they will be excited and inspired to learn about the designs for spacecrafts in the future. This appealing and innovative text is one of six interesting books in a series called Incredible Space, all of which are specifically designed for beginning, reluctant, and struggling readers. Written in simple, short sentences that contain controlled vocabulary, young readers will enjoy these texts in or out of the elementary classroom. Readers of this exciting, easy-to-read nonfiction will learn about the frontiers of space and space exploration, while developing their skills as capable and enthusiastic independent readers. 2009, Capstone Press, Ages 4 to 9, $22.65. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2325-4
Space Stations
Steven Kortenkamp
The International Space Station (ISS) is a place for astronauts to live and work in space. The United States and fifteen other countries are working together to build the ISS. Engineers around the world are building pieces for the ISS and planes fly these pieces to Florida, where they are loaded onto spacecraft and sent by space shuttle to the ISS. These interesting facts are only some of the interesting things that young readers will learn from this attractive and appealing small nonfiction text about space stations. On every page there are full-color photographs, photodiagrams, and several lines of carefully written text. The sentences are short and direct, the vocabulary is controlled, and there are contextual definitions of unfamiliar vocabulary cleverly woven into interesting passages. After reading this informative book, children will be inspired to learn more about space stations and the amazing work of astronauts. This appealing and innovative text is one of six interesting books in a series called Incredible Space, all of which are specifically designed for beginning, reluctant, and struggling readers. In or out of the elementary classroom, this interesting easy to read nonfiction will teach and excite children about the fascinating frontier of space exploration and inspire young readers to read to learn more about this fascinating subject. 2009, Capstone Press, Ages 4 to 9, $22.65. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2323-3
The Shuttle
David Baker and Heather Kissock
These days, when many kids think about astronauts and going into space, they immediately picture one of NASA's space shuttles. This book is the volume in the "Exploring Space" series that explains how the easily recognizable space shuttle came into being. Each part of the space shuttle has an important job--so that it can "fly into space like a rocket, orbit around the Earth like a satellite, and land like an airplane." There is also a diagram of the space shuttle with the payload bay doors open so that readers can "see" how the space shuttle can take satellites and other cargo into space. The book also talks about the role that the external tank and the two solid rocket boosters play in helping the shuttle get into orbit. One of the best features of the series is the amount of color photographs. When talking about rocket boosters being re-used by NASA, there is a picture of the rocket boosters being cleaned out and put back together. Readers can actually "see" the shuttle as if they were at the Kennedy Space Center. This book is a nice start for beginning space researchers. Also included are a glossary, an index, a list of websites, a "daily schedule" of someone in space, a comprehension test for readers, and a list of "further resources," which is simply a list of "key" words for the reader to research at his or her local library. 2009, Weigl Publishers Inc, $26.00 and $9.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Joella Peterson (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5903-6768-1
ISBN: 1-5903-6768-5
Space Shuttles
Steve Kortenkamp
This attractive book about U.S. space shuttles is formatted with bold chapter headings, large print and only a few sentences per page. The reading level is appropriate for children reading at first- and second-grade level but the interest level stretches through Grade 3. Bright, well-labeled photos may make it appealing to students below Grade 1 as well. The photos are closely related to the text, making this a good read for emerging readers. The practicality of the shuttles due to reuse is discussed and so are its drawbacks. Pages about the two shuttle disasters in which astronauts died are included. Readers can learn how the shuttle flies, information describing how it launches satellites, and how astronauts can go into space and fix things like the Hubble Space Telescope. Building a space station is also addressed. As with all books in this "The Solar System" series, this one ends with an "Amazing but True!" page, a "Think Big!" page, a glossary, resources and index. 2008, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-1259-3
ISBN: 1-4296-1259-2
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Added 07/29/09
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