and a half
Title: Science Comics: Solar System: Our Place in Space
By: Rosemary Mosco, Jon Chad
ISBN: 1626721424 (ISBN13: 9781626721425)
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary: 
With Science Comics, you can explore the depths of the ocean, the farthest reaches of space, and everything in between! These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects.
In this volume, get up close and personal with Earth’s nearest neighbors—Venus with its acid rainstorms, Saturn and its rings of ice, and the heart of it all, the Sun. Humans have always been fascinated by outer space and we’re learning more about our solar system every day. Did you know that our Solar System was born from a cloud of cosmic dust? That Jupiter’s red spot is really a raging storm? Join Sara, Jill, and their space-faring pets on a quest to learn more about the wonders of our Solar System—and beyond! (Goodreads)
Review:
I am always delighted to read a Science Comics book – I learn SO much while reading a comic book ☺. This title – Science Comics: Solar System: Our Place in Space is well written and illustrated. From the forward I found the following, which peaked my interest”
“The Solar System isn’t just weirder than we imagined, but (to borrow a phrase from the scientist J.B.S. Haldane), it’s weirder than we could imagine.”
“The Universe is like a puzzle spread out across the sky, and who could ever face a puzzle like that and not want to try to get the pieces to fit? That’s what scientists do, and when we do it, we find that there are more pieces to play with, more places to discover, and more ideas to understand. The universal puzzle is one that never ends. The more you explore, the more there is to explore.”
Sara is home with a cold and her friend Jill comes to visit. In an effort to alleviate Sara’s boredom, Jill suggests reading about the solar system. To make the activity interesting and fun, Jill and Sara create their very own spaceship, the Unbored. The crew is made up of the girl’s pets: Sara’s dog – Captain Riley the loyal space hound, Sara’s hamster – Engineer Fortinbras the handy hamster, Jill’s cat – Commander Pepper the cosmic kitty, Jill’s snake – Science Officer Slithers the smart space serpent.
At the beginning of the mission – they head for the sun. Along the way, creation of the solar system is discussed. All the dialogue is between the pets. I found the explanations easy to understand and entertaining at the same time. Gravity is defined in a manner that is understandable… and fun ☺
I found the layers of the sun section was very informative without being overwhelming to the reader. The Sun: A Report was written to describe what was learned by the crew to send back to Sara. I fact, after each planet a report was sent back to Sara outlining the most striking pieces of information regarding that particular planet.
The humour was also evident throughout. For example while exploring Mercury:
“Crew, I think we should land on this planet and explore.
Suit up and head to the shuttle.
Right. Let’s have a sniff around.
Hmmm. Sniffing does not seem to work in space suits.”
I really found there was just the right amount of detail for each planet, explained in a manner that is understandable and interesting. I particularly found it interesting that:
“Neptune has a dozen known moons, but Triton is the biggest and most amazing. Unlike any other moon in the Solar System, it orbits in the opposite direction of the planet’s spin.”
Enthusiplasma was the fuel that kept the journey to all the planets going. Essentially the journey was fuelled by Sara’s interest and enthusiasm about the solar system. As the journey progressed, my enthusiasm also increased.
I think anyone wanting a basic introduction to the solar system will enjoy this book. It is presented in a fun, factual manner with interesting characters. A great, entertaining way for children (and adults) to learn about our solar system.
