This book sets out the history of humans’ interest in space. It explores what various early civilisations thought about space before progressing to the development of space travel, the moon landing and where more recent advancements may lead us.
The basics of astronomy are covered with descriptions of the planets in our solar system but the book also goes into more detail for children who are interested, providing information on dwarf planets, stars and constellations.
Early space exploration is explained including the development of rocket technology and the influence of science fiction writers such as Jules Verne and H G Wells in shaping scientists’ ideas. You can also learn about the invention of telescopes and what some of the famous telescopes including Hubble and Kepler discovered on their missions into space.
The section on animals in space will appeal to kids, detailing some of the monkeys, dogs and chimpanzees that were sent into space to study the effects of space on living creatures. Did you know even tortoises, jellyfish, worms, wasps and butterflies have been to space?
The USA/USSR space race is covered, explaining the key achievements of each side. This will appeal to those kids with a keen interest in understanding the rapid progression of technology and the investment of both governments in making space travel a reality. More recent developments in space exploration are also discussed, including the advances made by other countries such as China, India and Japan.
The black pages with white text encapsulate the space mood of the book and help you to immerse yourself into the world of the space race as you read. There are plenty of photographs and diagrams throughout to create interest and ensure the book is not too text heavy.
This is a good reference guide for primary students that will answer the obvious space questions and hopefully pique their interest in some of the technological developments and future possibilities of space exploration.
Title: The Space Race
Author: Angelina Masiello Yalda
Publisher: New Holland Publishers, $19.99
Publication Date: April 2018
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781921580475
For ages: 8 - 12
Type: Non-Fiction
