Rocket Science: A Beginner’s Guide to the Fundamentals of Spaceflight - Hardcover

Rader, Andrew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 153620742X ISBN 13: 9781536207422

Publisher: Candlewick, 2020

Synopsis

Sometimes it takes a rocket scientist to offer young readers the most engaging introduction to space travel, the solar system, and the universe.

Earth’s gravity keeps our feet on the ground, and also prevents us from soaring into space. So how do we explore that vast frontier? We use rockets! Discover how rockets work—from staging to orbits to power generation, from thermal control to navigation and more. Learn how rockets and other spacecraft travel to and explore the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and beyond. Speculate about the future of space exploration—and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. In a guide ideal for aspiring rocket engineers, planetary scientists, and others who love learning about space exploration, Galen Frazer’s distinctive yet accessible illustrations pair perfectly with Andrew Rader’s straightforward text, together taking readers to the edge of our knowledge of space travel.

About this title

About the Author

Andrew Rader is the author of the children’s book trilogy Epic Space Adventure (which includes Mars Rover Rescue and Europa Excursion) and the nonfiction book Beyond the Known, a history of exploration from the beginning of humanity into our spacefaring future. A SpaceX Mission Manager with a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology specializing in long-duration spaceflight, he is an avid trivia player, space enthusiast, science nerd, history buff, and cohost of the weekly podcast Spellbound, which covers topics from science to economics to history to psychology. He also won the Discovery Channel's competitive television series Canada's Greatest Know-It-All. Andrew Rader lives in Hawthorne, California.

Galen Frazer is a digital artist. When he is not daydreaming about making first contact with an alien intelligence, he is spending time with his amazing daughters, playing guitar, or fishing. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reviews

Gr 4-8-This beginner's guide to rocket science offers a straightforward exploration of the principles behind space travel and related topics, such as extraterrestrial life. The text is appropriate for a wide range of ages. Each page is illustrated with renderings of space, celestial bodies, and space machinery; white font is set against the dark backdrops. Rader has a PhD in aerospace engineering; his expertise is reflected in the writing. Although the subject is complex, the simple, accessible language will aid reading comprehension. Attention-­grabbing elements typically found in children's nonfiction works, such as a narrator or fact boxes, are not used. Rader's stripped-down approach will be refreshing for readers who have analytical minds and are interested in space flight. For children who encounter this book by chance and/or are only casually interested in space travel, the text might not be enough to pique their interest. VERDICT Rader presents information in a style that will be appealingly fact-packed or disappointingly bland depending on the child. However, the book is a great addition to a lower or middle school library looking for a solid, informative text explaining space travel.-Mallory Weber, Convent of the Sacred Heart, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 153620742X
• ISBN 13: 9781536207422
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Frazer Galen
• Number of pages: 64