Basher Basics: Space Exploration

Basher Basics

by Dan Green, Simon Basher

Basher Space Exploration, Created & illustrated by Simon Basher From Basher, the illustrator who showed the periodic table in a whole new light and gave us his fresh spin on physics, astronomy, planet Earth, chemistry and more, comes a book that shines its light into out-of-this-world beings who make the universe tick. Learn about the amazing research that is revolutionizing space exploration, from the pioneering space crafts and equipment known as 'Space Aces' that have been used to delve into deep-space exploration to the scientists known as 'The Outerplanetary Mob' that have not only taken voyages to space and back but have contributed to our understanding of the universe. Space Exploration is a compelling guide to developments at the very forefront of science - a must-read for anyone wishing to understand, and engage with, modern space.

Genres: Science, Space, Nonfiction, Childrens

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads' database.

Dan Green spent his first four years in Africa, until his family swapped the African sun for Welsh rain. He grew up an English-American hybrid in the heart of Wales and then went to Cambridge University to study geology. After college, he shipped out to Italy to chase a dream of rock 'n' roll stardom, wound up in Venezuela, where he became editor of the English language newspaper and survived a coup d'etat and most recently rode his motorbike across Europe to Morocco. Dan is the "voice of Basher" - the best-selling children's science series created by the graphic artist Basher (basherbooks.com/usa/home.html). He has also written humor books, comic strips for Horrible Histories and Horrible Science, and is the author of the Footprint Venezuela Handbook.

Visit his website and find out what he is up to:
www.dangreenbooks.com

Reviews

[Ng Man Lok Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about exploring the space, the tools for it and what things helpsus know more about space and how exploring in space works, it is interesting and I recommend it to people who are fans of space and want to know more about it.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a kind of boring read for me and I imagine it was for my kiddo as well -- it was basically a list of space vehicles, probes, telescopes, etc and their features. It did put them to sleep quickly each night, but as an interesting read it fell short.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Basher books are also available as card sets, which may be why there's an unevenness to the entries here. But if your child is interested in space-- as mine is-- this selection of cartoon-character space equipment from EVUs (spacesuits) and Sputnik to the telescopic Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) and Voyager 2 will appeal.

My six year old has asked for this at bedtime 10 or more times-- though even if you have a 3-book rule as we do, you are unlikely to get through the whole thing. It's really for probably 3rd to 6th graders-- not all the technical terms are explained. It is divided into general and early space travel concepts (rocket, EVU, moon lander, Apollo), unmanned missions to other planets, space telescopes, and further out missions, so you can break up your reading. Obviously, as the dates of rendezvous for these (mostly NASA, some ESA) current missions pass, the book will become dated.

Each page has a cartoonlike illustration and some basic facts, along with a page of narration about the subject, in a jocular and punnish tone. Orbit: "I am a whirling dervish!" I'm not sure what the rule was for selecting the different items, but they do capture the imagination.