🚀 Out of This World: 10 Space Books Kids Love
A collection of picture books and biographies celebrating astronauts, scientists, and the wonders of space, perfect for curious young readers.
Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story
A lyrical retelling of the universe's origin, narrated by the cosmos itself. This beloved title shows up on Montessori classroom shelves again and again, and its storytelling approach to the "Great Lessons" has even inspired hands-on teaching materials designed to go along with it.
A is for Astronaut: Blasting Through the Alphabet
A space-themed alphabet book bursting with vivid illustrations, written by a real NASA astronaut who applied to the program 15 times before he was finally accepted. His persistence shows up in every page of this one.
Hidden Figures
This picture-book edition introduces young readers to Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, the Black women mathematicians whose calculations helped power early NASA missions, even while segregation forced them to work apart from their white colleagues.
Margaret and the Moon
The true story of Margaret Hamilton, the software engineer whose code helped guide the Apollo missions safely to the moon. As a girl, she questioned why science seemed reserved for boys, then grew up to help prove otherwise.
The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney
When an 11-year-old girl in England heard news of a newly discovered ninth planet, she suggested calling it Pluto, and astronomers agreed. A charming true story of how much difference one curious kid can make.
I Am Neil Armstrong
Part of Meltzer's popular kids' biography series, this book follows Neil Armstrong from a determined, hardworking child to the first person to walk on the moon, told through friendly, comic-style illustrations that make history approachable.
The Darkest Dark
Astronaut Chris Hadfield shares a memory from his own childhood: watching the moon landing with his family and dreaming of becoming an astronaut himself, if only he could first get over his fear of the dark.
Chasing Space: Young Readers' Edition
Former NFL player and NASA astronaut Leland Melvin recounts how a career-ending injury redirected his path toward helping build the International Space Station. Written for upper elementary and middle school readers, this edition won the 2019 Grand Canyon Reader Award for tween nonfiction.
Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin imagines what it might really take for humans to live on Mars one day, sharing his own vision for future space exploration in a way designed to spark kids' curiosity about what's next.
Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover
Told partly from the rover's own point of view, this beautifully illustrated book follows the Mars rover Curiosity's journey and mission, blending real science facts with just a touch of personality.