Booklist Online - Carolyn Phelan
This simply written and colorfully illustrated book offers children an accessible introduction to “humanity’s greatest adventure.” Beginning with a quote from H. G. Wells, Nardo traces the dramatic history of space exploration and efforts to see beyond the solar system. He also looks at possible future projects and closes with a nod to the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program, tying it back to the opening quote from Wells. Along the way, sidebars fill in readers on related matters, from Newton to the Mir space station. In this large-format volume, more space is devoted to pictures than to text. Drawn from a variety of sources, the many illustrations include photos, space telescope images, archival materials, and artists’ conceptions of future space programs. The double-page time line is illustrated with an international selection of postage stamps marking noteworthy events. A good addition to libraries, this book provides a succinct history of space exploration and a big-picture perspective of its importance.
February 1, 2012