Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Nov 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Starred Review In a wide-ranging consideration of the titular question herwise known as the Fermi paradox because it was most famously posed by "smarty-pants" Enrico Fermi Anulty lays out breezy but substantial histories of the universe, astronomy, and space exploration, along with logical and mathematical arguments that have been proposed for the probability that we are not (or, conversely, might well be) alone. Readers with a technical bent will be pleased by the specificity with which the author explains techniques used by scientists in search of exoplanets and life elsewhere in our solar system. She goes on, though, to consider warp drives, wormholes, and other more out-there topics and to offer tantalizing if skeptical accounts of close encounters om crop circles to supposed alien abductions, plus kooky highlights from the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, Percival Lowell's Martian "canals," and the infamous "War of the Worlds" broadcast. All this content is illustrated with humble but helpful checklists and line drawings and backed up by discussion questions, expansive endnotes, and resource lists. Yes, she concludes, incontrovertible evidence of extraterrestrial life has yet to turn up, but stay tuned because "discoveries are happening all. The. TIME!"

School Library Journal Starred Review (Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 4–8 —Whether tracing the history of the known universe or explaining the Fermi paradox—the mathematical concept that, if intergalactic travel were possible, Earth should have been visited by now—McAnulty's narrative is thoroughly clear, engaging, and fun. One chapter outlines the SETI project, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, another examines some of the history of UFO research. The tone throughout is informal, meandering, sometimes veering into corny (physicist Fermi is characterized as "a smarty-pants who won scholarships and studied at notable European universities"), appealing to the younger end of the likely age range, though it should engage many middle school readers. Illustrations are simple but effective and contribute to a consistently upbeat style. "Fun fact" boxes and sidebar texts, such as a profile of astronomer Jill Tarter or an explanation of naming conventions for exoplanets, provide complementary information and balance the often heady concepts of the main text. Extensive back matter includes comprehensive source notes, as well as a bibliography of favorite resources, a time line, glossary, and list of acronyms. McAnulty allows that no women or people of color were involved in the early days of SETI because "few non-white men were admitted to study in the STEM fields." VERDICT A superb resource for budding astronomers or a fascinating read for any kid with an interest, highly recommended for libraries serving elementary and middle school students.—Bob Hassett

Kirkus Reviews

If we aren't alone in the universe, then where is everybody?McAnulty gives a shoutout to Fermi's classic question, going on to examine the science and math that suggest-or refute-the possibility of life beyond Earth. With a brief roundup of facts as examples (the Earth is round, vaccines save lives), she is careful to demonstrate what is scientific consensus vs. speculation. The result is a compact but comprehensive overview of the history and current status of extraterrestrial exploration, whether via telescope, space probe, calculation, or imagination. McAnulty acknowledges the viewpoints of those (including astronomer Stephen Webb) who might be regarded as "Only Earth-ers" as well as those, whom she calls "Life Beyond Earth-ers," who believe that life could be found elsewhere in the universe. She points out that a definitive answer is not currently available to us. The overviews of the history of astronomy (including the work of Copernicus, Galileo, and John Herschel) and space science and flight, focusing particularly on the later 19th century to the present, are clear and fascinating. Looks at Roswell, Area 51, and other unexplained encounters are included, contextualized with factual explanations and offered with a big grain of salt. The list of resources is very good, as are the meticulous source notes that offer ways for readers to further pursue the discussion. McAnulty's informal, conversational style keeps the delivery of information entertaining and nicely paced.Terrific science for skeptics and hopeful sky watchers. (timeline, acronyms, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Employing abundant research and humorous b&w sketches, McAnulty and Miles (Save the People) discuss the steps that scientists have taken to prove—or disprove—the possibility of life beyond Earth in this curiosity-stoking work. The author begins with an explanation of the Fermi paradox, or the “where is everyone?” quandary named after Italian physicist Enrico Fermi (1901–1954), which explores the idea that if technologically advanced beings existed beyond Earth, “we would have noticed them by now. They’re not here, so they must not exist.” Subsequent chapters offer contextualizing information about Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) and Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei’s (1564–1642) early telescopes, Sputnik and Apollo launches, listening devices seeking alien transmissions, rumored UFO sightings and abductions, and insights into projected space missions as far out as 2040. Lighthearted jokes pepper conversational prose: “Now you may be asking, ‘What is a paradox?’ (Not to be confused with a ‘pair of docs,’ which is two physicians).” By highlighting sometimes contradictory hypotheses prevalent in the scientific community, McAnulty concludes that there is no concrete answer regarding the existence of alien life-forms, excitedly reminding readers that “the hunt has just begun” in this fascinating read. Ages 10–up. (Sept.)