Destination: Space

Gr 4–7—Lovers of the "Magic School Bus" series will enjoy this space exploration. Readers follow a space crew of five cartoon tweens as they blast off. Their playful discovery of all things extraterrestrial is sure to please. Bright, colorful illustrations against the black void of the cosmos, along with the oversize format, switch on a feeling of antigravity as readers float along through the work. There are no block text paragraphs here: each turn of the page reveals a spread on a different subject (gravity, the moon, galaxies, the big bang) with pictures, pull quotes, and diagrams. Reluctant readers will find this work engaging in spite of its educational content. Englert also takes opportunities to explain related concepts, like fusion or magnets, which may push kids on to other areas of discovery. Lacking page numbers or back matter but offering a removable, double-sided constellation poster, this title is a fine pairing with works with more informational detail.