School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-The full-color drawings of assorted rockets, satellites, and the like are the strength of this beginning look at space exploration. Except for very brief mention of the Soviet Vostok and the French Ariane, all of the spaceships covered are NASA products. The just-begun space station Freedom illustrates space stations; MIR is not mentioned. One double-page spread is devoted to space suits, since "A spacecraft has to provide astronauts with air to breathe, and it has to keep them warm." A suited astronaut is pictured strapped into a MMU (manned maneuvering unit) but other than a few labels (gas thruster, hand controller, adjustable arm), no attempt is made to explain its workings. One might also quibble with the inclusion of the Hubble telescope and the various space probes in a book on spaceships. The abbreviated text is readily understandable and will entertain browsers; report writers or those with serious interest in spaceflight and its machinery will need to consult other sources.-Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1999)

A clearly illustrated and simply written text describes the design and function of various spacecraft, both manned and unmanned. Other equipment, such as space suits, is also detailed. Specific items include the spacecraft that took people to the moon, the Hubble telescope, the shuttles that did the repair work on the telescope, and general information about rockets. Glos., ind.

ALA Booklist (Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 1998)

Large, captioned full-color illustrations and brief text help introduce young readers to the vehicles used to explore outer space. Graham begins with a discussion of gravity and the solar system and then moves on to rockets, lunar exploration, the space shuttle, the Hubble telescope, and future projects. Of particular interest are the sections detailing the parts of a space suit and life in space--including food, toileting, and sleep accommodations. Although there's not a lot of discussion about how a rocket works, Graham does a creditable job comparing various rockets (Saturn Redstone Vostok and Ariane 4 and explaining the sequence of events during rocket launches and shuttle flight and reentry. This should find a niche with browsers and young report writers. Glossary. (Reviewed December 15, 1998)