Really, Really Big Questions About Space and Time - Hardcover

The wise choice to use the word questions rather than answers in the title of this book is telling, as is the introduction, which states, “To even suggest that we understand the universe is very unscientific. Science is all about questioning things—all the time.” With an infectiously enthusiastic tone, Brake embraces the spirit of science but leaves behind much of the dreary technical and mathematical bones it hangs upon to pose delicious bafflers organized in four loose sections: the makeup of the universe, the nature of celestial objects, the ever-tricky concept of time, and the future of space exploration. Classically cartoony artwork (think The Jetsons without the gizmos) and a different-colored background on each page (though unfortunately, some make the black type hard to read) heighten the liveliness quotient without distracting from the way-cool information being dispensed. For such immense and difficult-to-pin-down topics, this is a remarkably breezy yet substantial overview that’s sure to get kids thinking and on the lookout for more information on these great last frontiers. Grades 4-7. --Ian Chipman