Am I Made of Stardust?

Dr Maggie combines passion for her subject with an engaging and accessible style of presentation, making this an excellent book for finding answers to all the questions you might have about space. In this book, she has collected some of her ‘all-time favourite’ questions and answered them, grouping them in to three chapters- the universe, our solar system and humans in space.

The book is perfect for dipping in and out of as browsing turns up some fascinating questions. However, it also makes a useful research tool as a comprehensive index and glossary support locating information and understanding terms. Dr Maggie is pictured throughout the book along with IQ, her robot assistant, whose initials stand for ‘Interesting Question’.

Each page offers a good amount of information, balancing a clear explanation and achievable chunks of texts, making the book appealing to reluctant readers and those who struggle with ‘text heavy’ books as well as anyone interested in this topic. There are clearly labelled activities to look out for which can be tried at home- making a rainbow, using a balloon to show how the stars move as the Universe expands, for example.

Astro facts are also scattered throughout the book. Fun extra snippets of information relating to the topic of the page, these encourage the reader to think as well as learn. The layout is very attractive with lots of photos, diagrams and illustrations, sure to tempt readers in and keep them! This is a real gem of a book- a must for topic boxes and collections to support learning about space as well as the perfect gift for astronauts in the making!

Am I Made of Stardust? Dr Maggie Answers the Big Questions for Young Scientists

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, illustrated by Chelen Ecija

Buster Books ISBN: 978-1780557540