Review Detail

PROFESSOR WOOFORD MCPAW'S HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY is a cool graphic novel style non-fiction book that teaches children about astronomy and related topics. The book takes the reader through some of the history that led to modern astronomy as well as some of the basics of space and its study, such as dark matter, the theory of relativity, space probes, the international space station, and more. The end of the book takes a peek into what the future could hold.

What I loved: This covers a lot of topics and teaches about a breadth of information related to astronomy in a really approachable way. The graphic novel style makes this easily digestible for young middle grade readers, and while a lot of the more complex information is really simplified, this is a great starter text for learning about the study of space. While it begins with the history of astronomy, it delves into various other topics, including more modern figures, the methods through which we study space, and some key theories. Using brief sentences and multiple panels, it breaks down the basics in a way that will be really approachable for young readers. The illustrations are full of color and simple characters that will entertain readers.

Final verdict: PROFESSOR WOOFORD MCPAW'S HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY is an engaging non-fiction, illustrated book that will teach young middle grade readers about the study of outer space.