This is a dense journey across time and space into the world of cosmology. Francfort and Herji present, through our tour guide, Dr. Celeste Aster, a whirlwind tour of core discoveries in physics. From Galileo dropping chickens from deadly heights to Einstein modeling the universe with marbles, complex topics are presented through a smart blend of often-humorous visual metaphors and speech bubbles. Nobel laureate Michel Mayor also makes appearances throughout the comic and played an advisory role in the book's creation, offering an air of expert credibility to the work. While the pages are at risk of being overfull of information at times (they get a lot done in just over 60 pages), there are still spreads that can take your breath away, such as the image of a space walk near a black hole. Includes a glossary of terms. This slim volume will appeal equally well to both teen and adult science readers (and those who are testing the waters for the first time).

A lively look at some of the grand and mysterious phenomena that keep the observable universe ticking.It's Cosmology 101, as pale, red-haired fictive tour guide Dr. Celeste Aster puts it, and as she bounds off into a whirl of Herji's text-heavy cosmic cartoon montages leading her blond, brown-skinned Gen-Z niece Gabrielle with guest lecturer (and real Nobel Prize Laureate) Michel Mayor panting along in tow, readers hoping to keep pace had better bring their scientific A games. After kicking off with a review of our changing conceptions of gravity, Einstein's theory of general relativity, and the Standard Model of Cosmology, she explains the importance of core discoveries such as the cosmic microwave background and (with a nod to discoverer Henrietta Swan Leavitt) the value of Cepheid variables for measuring interstellar distances. Dr. Aster follows up by ushering "the biggest rock stars of the Universe…BLACK HOLES!" into view to explain what they are and how their collisions can produce gravitational waves, then closes by adding dark matter and dark energy to the Big Bang as mysteries still waiting to be understood. The full-color illustrations of human figures in animated poses, including glimpses of Einstein in skimpy bathing suit bottoms and cheery looking fundamental particles bonding or whizzing past each other, help lighten the substantial informational load.A challenging overview conveyed with authority and contagious enthusiasm. (glossary) (Graphic nonfiction. 12-18)

Gr 9 Up— Young astrophysicists, cosmologists, and theoretical physicists will find plenty to think about in this dense but humorous exploration of the universe. Fictional characters Dr. Celeste Aster (pun intended) and her college age niece, Gabrielle, with the help of the real Dr. Michel Mayor, the 2019 Nobel Laureate in Physics, attempt to explain the study of the universe. The creators use the graphic novel format and break the fourth wall to blend up-to-date science with an action-packed story. Gabrielle's offhand questions and genuine reactions mirror the average person's knowledge base. Chapter 1 covers some basic history highlighting Galileo, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. Chapter 2 tackles cosmology, the Big Bang theory, and CMB (cosmic microwave background). Matter is explained with quarks, protons, neutrons, and atoms. Chapter 3 explains black holes, their birth, and their behavior. Dark matter and dark energy are also introduced. Herji adds wry humor to the slapstick interactions of Aster and Mayor with celestial bodies and theorems. The book wraps up by reiterating that unraveling the mystery of the universe is an ongoing science prone to reevaluations and adjustments. An excellent glossary is appended. VERDICT This is a great addition to high school graphic nonfiction collections. Hand this to students who love the "Science Comics" series.— Elisabeth LeBris