Young readers will head into deep space with these titles to explore asteroids, black holes, and the geology of the solar system. They will discover the enormity of the universe and the people who work to understand it. This list will inspire new adventures and help readers discover our place among the stars.
Impact!: Asteroids and the Science of Saving the World by Elizabeth Rusch and Karin Anderson
This Scientists in the Field series title introduces readers to the researchers who study asteroids. The author concludes the book with a list of methods that might be used for dealing with any asteroid that threatens Earth.
Black Holes: The Weird Science of the Most Mysterious Objects in the Universe by Sara Latta
Young readers will discover the early expiration of black holes and the studies that have led to our understanding. Pair this book with the next title on our list to compare and contrast two information titles on the same topic.
A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano and Michael Carroll
A humorous introduction to the complex science of black holes. Lots of space facts and answers about galaxies. Michael Carroll’s illustrations are coupled with real telescopic images to help readers visualize how light bends and identifying a supernova. Includes a timeline, glossary, and index.
Voyager’s Greatest Hits: The Epic Trek to Interstellar Space by Alexandra Siy
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Voyager mission in this informative and engaging title. Learn about the scientists, how the probes work, where they’ve been and what they’ve seen.
Mission to Pluto: The First Visit to an Ice Dwarf and the Kuiper Belt by Mary Kay Carson and Tom Uhlman
In Carson’s Scientist in the Field title, young readers will explore Pluto through the discoveries made with the New Horizons mission and it robotic spacecraft. Readers will see how scientists built New Horizons, and follow it three billion miles across the solar system.
Science Comics: Rockets: Defying Gravity by Anne Drozd and Jerzy Drozd
Readers of graphic novels will enjoy exploring 2,000 years of rockets, including information on gravity, force, and acceleration in this nonfiction comic.
Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh
A space mission has thousands of people working behind the scenes to bring astronauts to space and safely home. This book peels back the curtain to reveal those important jobs. Young readers might discover the career that speaks to them.
The Hubble Cosmos: 25 Years of New Vistas in Space by David H. DeVorkin and Robert W. Smith
This National Geographic book is a wonderful reference book for middle grade readers who will enjoy the story and photographs of this important telescope. Includes more than 150 photos!
Dr E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann and Jennifer Swanson
Join National Geographic Explorer Dr. Ehlmann (member of NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity mission) and nonfiction author Jennifer Swanson on a tour of the soar system’s geology. A fun pairing of stories and facts.
STEM Tuesday book lists prepared by:
Nancy Castaldo has written books about our planet for over 20 years including her 2016 title, THE STORY OF SEEDS: From Mendel’s Garden to Your Plate, and How There’s More of Less To Eat Around The World, which earned the Green Earth Book Award and other honors. She strives to inform, inspire, and educate her readers. Nancy also serves as the Regional Advisor of the Eastern NY SCBWI region. Check out her 2008 title LEAP INTO SPACE and her new release, BACK FROM THE BRINK: Saving Animals from Extinction. www.nancycastaldo.com
Patricia Newman writes middle-grade nonfiction that inspires kids to seek connections between science, literacy, and the environment. The recipient of a Sibert Honor Award for Sea Otter Heroes and a two-time recipient of the Green Earth Book Award for Plastic, Ahoy! and Sea Otter Heroes, her books have received starred reviews, been honored as Junior Library Guild Selections, and included on Bank Street College’s Best Books lists. During author visits, she demonstrates how her writing skills give a voice to our beleaguered environment. Visit her at www.patriciamnewman.com.