Are We Alone?: Searching for Life Beyond Earth with the Planetary Society

Gr 3-6–This is a classic beginner informational text with table of contents, captions, text boxes, photographs, illustrations, chapters, headings, a glossary, an index, and a “learn more” bibliography. The attention-grabbing title combines an early elementary–friendly format with a surprisingly substantive text about whether there may be life on other planets. In 32 pages, including front and back matter, and approximately three-to-six sentences per page, the book explores topics, such as the building blocks of life on earth, planets and moons in our solar system that might have the conditions to sustain life, the possibility of life on exoplanets (planets orbiting stars other than our Sun), the idea of habitable ”Goldilocks” zones where liquid water may exist in the universe, and scientific attempts to receive communications from possible extraterrestrial life. Because of the informational format and scientific language, this book might be more suited to research than purely recreational reading.