Space: The Final Pooping Frontier

by Annabeth Bondor-Stone, Connor White, Lars Kenseth (Illustrator)

Discover the down and dirty scientific history of astronauts pooping in space in this funny and factual picture book.

Everybody poops. So, what’s an astronaut to do when hurtling through space with zero gravity and zero privacy? Go boldly.

This is a scientific history of pooping in space. From the earliest NASA missions up through the innovative results of their recent Space Poop Challenge design competition, we’ll see the evolution of pooping on the final frontier. With fascinating facts and a few mishaps and discarded technologies along the way, we’ll learn why it’s so hard to deal with waste management in space.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Juvenile

Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2024

Reviews

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, c'mon, this book should automatically get 5 stars just for the title alone! And it actually was a pretty good book; funny but never condescending to kids, and actually pretty informative and, um, thorough. And who wouldn't appreciate the "More Poop Fun Facts (and Beyond) section at the back?

P.S. You're probably wondering why this book even came up? I work at a library and our front desk staff was checking in books before we opened today. It tickled her fancy and she read the title out, it tickled all of the rest of us as well, and really, how could I pass up reading this?!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the funniest nonfiction picture book I have ever read.

[nini · Rating 4 out of 5]

incredible read learned a lot and i will miss my coworker al that gave us all these poop related book 🏏

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you know when you order a book that it will be popular, and this was definitely one of those books. What kid can resist both space and poop? That combination will make it an easy sell. And it was fascinating to this adult, as well. Space travel has always been, in part, about learning to work around the human body and its inconvenient needs for things like food, water, and waste disposal and how all of those things take up valuable room and add weight that needs to be dealt with. And this book shows all of the interesting ways that scientists have figured out how to work around the poop problem.

In fact, when it comes to long term space travel, scientists are trying to figure out a way to recycle poop for its minerals or anything else that might be valuable to make the missions feasible (this equally upsets and fascinates me). And there was a contest for a solution to pooping in space and being away from the space toilet for up to 6 days with the winner pictured holding his creation. How to use the creation is left to the reader's imagination, and let me tell you: my imagination is CONCERNED.

A great mix of gross, fascinating, and funny. I love bringing this kind of book on school visits because kids learn and are a little horrified and isn't the best nonfiction a combination of both of those things?

[Patricia Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very informational book is hilarious and gross at the same time! 💩🚀

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book checks ALL the boxes for an engaging, riveting non-fiction title that focuses on STEM topics from a very interesting point of view. I seriously learned so much and kept reading portions out loud to my husband. I had no idea so many scientific laws made this a significant challenge for space engineers and astronauts. The solutions they've developed rely on scientific principles and laws that also enable human waste to become a part of the solution for keeping humans in space longer. It's hilarious, informative, and so much fun to read!

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Hilarious. Well written with engaging & supportive illustrations. Both the writing and the illustrations reveal how hard NASA engineers worked, how innovative they had to be to make pooping in space an actual reality as well as how it's improved over the years.

Highly recommend reading as part of a STEM engineering focus or book talking and leaving in the classroom library to be grabbed up.

PAIR THIS WITH Astronaut Handbooks by Meghan McCarthy

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

You read that right. This is a book about pooping in space and not only is it funny but also crazy that they didn’t have a good solution until 2016. Informative and laugh-out-loud funny, this is a great book for those kids looking for something new about space travel or those who still think poop is funny (which is every kid).

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't like poop books. I know kids will like this, but the illustrations just took away from the book. Most of the people have no necks, so they look like thumbs. The clear plastic bags look like condoms. It's clearly just playing on potty humor to carry this book rather than more details about the actual experience. I hope this experience gets better for astronauts...

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think kids will LOVE the humor in this - puns in the text & several grimacing illustrations of astronauts are understated, allowing the reader to make what they will of the facts.

I was only disappointed in one regard; there isn't a diagram or photo of exactly how the current toilets work on space vehicles! I think kids will also be disappointed.

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book crossed my desk for cataloging ... and I'm sorry, I just had to take a moment and read it. It was actually very informative ... and very funny. I don't know that I'd be able to read it this to someone without busting out laughing!

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

I actually wish there was more to this - it's a very generalized overview of the history of astronauts pooping, but I think they kept things a little too vague. Cartoon-y illustrations don't actually explain the science behind some of these poop devices - they just leave me with more questions.

[Theo Scully · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ read for Capitol Choices ~

Honestly, I think S:TFPF is an engaging and fun book - however, I am so exhausted by the sheer amount of poop books that I have had to read for Capitol Choices. I am not sure if I'd choose to push this one forward as opposed to one of my previous reads.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny non-fiction book about the mechanics of using the bathroom in space and all the inventions that have tried to solve that problem. Gross, hilarious, and informative - the perfect book for elementary and up! May not meet 43-170?

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect
Companion to 3rd grade Wit&Wisdom curriculum

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for elementary readers who just want to talk about poop anyway!

[Robin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and fact-filled. Also, oriented to inspire imagination and problem-solving. Looking forward to gifting to a child.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and informative. I do wish some things had been explained better, like the winning invention for the toilet contest. I also wish the drawing style didn't make everyone look like potatoes.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG.

[Amber Wessies Owrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief history of how astronauts poop or don't poop in space. I thought the book would have more information than it did.

[Megan Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute. Funny. Purple. 😂

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Julie McCobb]

Tyler and Brayden picked this book out at the library. It was very educational and funny. Lol

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!!!

[Kirsten Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully funny and informative

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely an excellent book. Well-written, and filled with pragmatic information and answers about pooping in space. It was even comprehensive enough that I learned a lot too!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 4.5. Made me wish I was still working. Definitely had patrons who would love this. Would be a great book talk though probably wouldn't need any book talking. The excerpt of a conversation aboard the Apollo 10 mission would probably sell it.

Learned that process of going to the bathroom could take 45 minutes even if everything was working. Liked the numerous translations of "Where's the bathroom?" for the International Space Station page.

Then there was the NASA's 2016 Space Poop Challenge.

Are shooting stars poop? Poop and pee grown bacteria?