Above and Beyond

Gr 5 Up-This book is a complement to and was inspired by the documentary of the same name created by Rory Kennedy celebrating the 60th anniversary of NASA. It profiles the history of NASA, beginning with Wilbur and Orville Wright and the first flight and continuing to the International Space Station and the planned 2020 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. Boxes highlight fun and fast facts. Sidebars and larger boxes profile key figures in the field. The layout is bright and eye-catching, with many images provided by NASA. However, not all of the images are annotated, and the text layout might be confusing for some. The coverage is broad, discussing animals in space, climate change, NASA's role in the fight for equality, and more. This ode to the history and future of NASA and the pioneering spirit of space travel will appeal to young adults with an interest in the subject, along with casual browsers of all ages. VERDICT A good choice for collections in need of titles that provide a broad overview of American space history.-Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA

December 1, 2018
Grades 5-8 NASA had its sixtieth birthday this year, and this oversize tome traces its development from Explorer I, launched back in 1958, through the Mars Rover. The narrative develops in chronological order, with numerous detours for biographical profiles, detailed photo captions, sidebars, and "Fun Facts" (Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, began her space shuttle shifts with "Hailing frequencies open," a line made famous on Star Trek by the USS Enterprise's communications officer Lieutenant Uhura). Readers learn about daily life on the International Space Station, technological innovations, and international competition and cooperation, alongside reports on animal astronauts, space toys, and an entire chapter on the intersection of science fiction and hard fact (the question-and-answer format responds to queries such as, "Why is Darth Vader's breathing so weird?"). The book ends with a look to the future. Space nerds will be hooked; an extensive bibliography makes this a natural for report writers, and the format and generous artwork will attract browsers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)