Welcome to astronaut school! So begins McCarthy's jaunty, informative exploration of the nature and scope of space-travel preparation. Readers follow four aspiring astronauts from classroom to cockpit as they focus, study, practice, and ultimately take off. McCarthy applies a light, comic tone to the subject, reflected in her simple, expressive, cartoony acrylic paintings. Whether trapped in a dark, double-page spread littered with test tubes and textbooks or floating weightlessly aboard the Vomit Comet, her appealing, unflappable space students commit to their study with suitable duty and good humor. McCarthy introduces the paraphernalia of rocket travel with a direct humor that understands and respects its audience. A diagram of a space toilet includes the vacuum for solids, hose for liquids, and thigh restraints. Indeed, content, narrative, and style are perfectly matched to one another here, and to the legions of curious youngsters to whom the constructive fun is aimed.

McCarthy’s signature bug-eyed characters return for another nonfiction excursion, this time for astronaut training. Addressed as “you,” readers join three men and one woman as they undergo numerous tests of intellectual and physical endurance. Ever mindful of what fascinates her audience, McCarthy (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Aliens Are Coming!) also visits a space toilet (her diagram helpfully points out the “vacuum for solids” and “hose for liquids”) and devotes a spread to a ride on the legendary “Vomit Comet”—the airplane that NASA uses to give astronauts a momentary taste of weightlessness (the astronaut trainees remain unperturbed). The book signs off with a successful blastoff and a cheery, “Work hard and enjoy your time in space!” Bright, bold pictures and a wealth of information (including two full pages of facts and sources) take the place of Right Stuff bravado; this fare is strictly wholesome. Ages 5–8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(June)

K-Gr 3 McCarthy speaks directly to children who dream of someday "BLASTING into outer space," inviting them to experience astronaut school with four aspiring recruits. Painted in a cartoon style, the three men and one woman have large saucerlike eyes and off-center smiles. The book gives a very real picture of the arduous training required before going into space. Full-color spreads done in acrylics on gessoed paper show authentic facilities like a swimming pool, a jet, and the Vomit Comet (a plane ride that allows passengers to experience weightlessness). The text and illustrations are simply done, and their very sparseness highlights important stages in astronaut preparation. A space suit and toilet are shown against white backgrounds, and their parts are clearly labeled. The space-shuttle liftoff, painted vertically, and images of the smiling characters in space capture the excitement of this ultimate adventure. The author includes a page of fascinating facts as well as a list of places to visit. This appealing book is sure to find a wide audience. Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN