Super Space Weekend: Adventures in Astronomy

Gr 3-6–Young space enthusiasts can join friends Squeak, Orni, and Castor as they spend a weekend camping out in Squeak’s tree house observatory. Each character has a unique personality: Squeak is the astronomy expert, Castor is full of questions, and Orni just wants to hang out in the tree house and have a fun weekend. Together they learn about Earth’s place in the universe, navigating by the stars, and even the difference between comets, asteroids, and meteorites. Diagrams of the solar system and phases of the Moon support the explanations Squeak provides for the group. There are also cameos of famous female space explorers, a discussion of the various wavelengths of light, and how long it takes the light from distant stars to reach Earth. For those interested in doing their own stargazing, there is a map of the night sky and tips on observing the planets. Comic-style illustrations in black and white use color sparingly to show the different types of stars, a polar aurora, a stellar nebula, and the visible light spectrum. The book ends with suggested activities for readers to have their own super space adventure and includes seasonal maps of the constellations.