Put on your helmet, fasten your seatbelt, and prepare to tour the universe.
Space Maps begins with an introduction to the stars as they are seen from the Earth. It explains how stars have been mapped over the centuries using imaginary lines based on animals and mythological beings. Maps of the stars as they are seen in the Northern hemisphere and in the Southern hemisphere are presented and there is an explanation about how these different skies are defined by the celestial equator. It is lovely to see a book about space beginning with what can be seen from home. Many children dream of exploring the skies but also learn too young how very few people really make it into space. By starting with something that is accessible to everyone, Space Maps reminds readers that the first step towards space is to study at home.
Other sections take a look at our place in the solar system, examine the planets of our solar system, explore what lies beyond our solar system, and discover what space exploration is like for humans. The order of these sections makes so much sense. It takes the reader from home, and works outward, challenging them to imagine something even bigger than our planet, then even bigger than our solar system. This order is logical and friendly to readers who might never have encountered space science before. It also puts the reader at the centre of a voyage – except this voyage of discovery takes place within the pages of a book.
Topics within the different sections are given a double-page spread. I love the use of visual information. The different spacecraft used to explore Mars, for example, are lined across the page and explained with clear labels. The illustrations very much place children and young people at the centre. Some books on space picture only the adults who have worked in the field and it is lovely for children to feel that a subject relates to themselves.
Space is popular topic for illustrated fiction. This stands out as an accessible and immersive book that takes the reader on an adventure.
- Space Maps is available now from What on Earth Books. RRP. £18.99 (Provided for review)
