A fun, lighthearted manual that will help kids get excited for their own futures—and the world’s.
Mongo offers an illustrated guide to the skills, and imagination, that children need to achieve their dreams of reaching outer space.
The author, a self-described “Astronaut Intelligence” teacher, prepares kids who might be interested in space travel with what they can expect if they become astronauts—and what they can do to prepare. He reminds readers that space travel for kids is not a very far-off possibility, especially when it involves the space around the Moon and Earth—or what Mongo dubs “MEarth.” The book offers a blend of practical advice that readers will need to achieve their astronaut-related goals (such as pursuing STEM courses in school), as well as introductions to technical terms related to space travel, including “gravitational sweet spots” known as “Lagrange points.” Mongo also frequently injects humor and helpful tips into his discussions, including the idea that even the smallest things can make a big impact: “Real talk, future Kid Astronaut: nobody’s going to remind you to shower when you’re floating in a space station. Master the small stuff now, because in space, the small stuff keeps you alive.” Arumugam’s occasional cartoon illustrations, consisting of pen-and-ink sketches with mustard-yellow accents, are silly and fun, as in an image of a spacewalking astronaut attempting to brush their teeth with their helmet on. Although the frequent QR codes throughout the text—which connect readers to outside interactive materials—may prove distracting for some, Mongo’s laid-back, casual narrative tone will likely appeal to younger readers. What particularly stands out is the book’s overwhelming sense of optimism for the future. Mongo repeatedly emphasizes that kids have choices—whether they’re deciding what electives to take in school, what career path to follow, or even how much to participate in their own lives (“Life is always going to life, with or without us”).
A fun, lighthearted manual that will help kids get excited for their own futures—and the world’s.Pub Date: March 30, 2026
ISBN: 9781963981087
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Fair Share Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both.
Flash, Batman, and other characters from the DC Comics universe tackle supervillains and STEM-related topics and sometimes, both.
Credited to 20 writers and illustrators in various combinations, the 10 episodes invite readers to tag along as Mera and Aquaman visit oceanic zones from epipelagic to hadalpelagic; Supergirl helps a young scholar pick a science-project topic by taking her on a tour of the solar system; and Swamp Thing lends Poison Ivy a hand to describe how DNA works (later joining Swamp Kid to scuttle a climate-altering scheme by Arcane). In other episodes, various costumed creations explain the ins and outs of diverse large- and small-scale phenomena, including electricity, atomic structure, forensic techniques, 3-D printing, and the lactate threshold. Presumably on the supposition that the characters will be more familiar to readers than the science, the minilectures tend to start from simple basics, but the figures are mostly both redrawn to look more childlike than in the comics and identified only in passing. Drawing styles and page designs differ from chapter to chapter but not enough to interrupt overall visual unity and flow—and the cast is sufficiently diverse to include roles for superheroes (and villains) of color like Cyborg, Kid Flash, and the Latina Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz. Appended lists of websites and science-based YouTube channels, plus instructions for homespun activities related to each episode, point inspired STEM-winders toward further discoveries.
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77950-382-4
Page Count: 160
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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