Outer Space (Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guides, #4) by Ken Jennings

Outer Space (Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guides, #4) Reviews

• 
  Josiah

  Outer space is the most enigmatic and expansive subject one can study, and "Professor" Ken Jennings goes to it in this book with gusto. Who would you rather have teach you than a seventy-four-day Jeopardy! champion, arguably the most successful quiz show player ever? Professor Jennings delves right in with a look at the Sun, the object that gives our solar system the means to create and sustain life. It is easily the largest object in the daytime sky, a ball of gas burning ninety-three million miles away. Long ago the Sun formed from cosmic dust, according to Ken, and planets coalesced around it over the course of eons. Thus our solar system was born, a good starting point to learn about the universe. Distances between the planets are mind-boggling, but Mr. Jennings uses examples to provide context so we can at least partly comprehend the scale of the solar system.
  
  For millennia, Earth was believed to be the center of our solar system, but scientists such as Galileo eventually proved the Sun was in the middle. Earth and the other planets are in constant motion, whipping around the Sun at thousands of miles per hour. Professor Jennings examines the Sun more closely, identifying its regions and core function as a raging furnace hotter than we can imagine. He answers questions about Sun-related phenomena—what are sunspots, solar wind, and solar flares?—before moving on to comets, ice balls orbiting the Sun that originate beyond Pluto in the Oort cloud. We get to know five famous comets, including Halley's Comet, which has a history of triggering fear in humans. For second period of our class, Ken shifts focus to the Moon. We learn about the hubbub surrounding mankind's first steps on the Moon, which happened July 20, 1969. The Moon has no atmosphere and a fraction of Earth's gravity, but there are unique features on the surface you can look for with a telescope. Eclipses have their own scientific and historical quirks that Mr. Jennings elaborates on. At recess, our professor suggests a few cosmos-themed games, then we return for third period and a detailed look at each planet in our solar system. They range from hellishly hot (Mercury and Venus) to eerie and mysterious (Jupiter and Saturn) to icy and desolate (Uranus and Neptune). In art class we learn to build mini rockets out of paper and plastic. Fourth period takes us to the asteroid belt and the outer planets, serving up relevant trivia along the way. Even experts on space will find tidbits they didn't know in this book.
  
  Lunchtime! Astronauts in space require creative meal options. Many foods are hard to manage in zero gravity, and bathroom access is limited. In fifth period, Professor Jennings guides us beyond the solar system, explaining the wide range of stars in the known universe. He provides a brief, fifteen-section gamebook ("Select Your Own Stellar Adventure") where you play the part of a newborn star going through its life cycle. This is one of my favorite parts of the book. Even the closest stars are light years from Earth (except the Sun), but we can observe them in the night sky, and Ken shows us what to look for with our telescope or naked eye. Stars don't stay the same forever—neutron stars, black dwarfs, black holes, and supernovae are examples of common changes—and we read something about each type. In music class we learn the universe has its own audible tones. We've sent probes beyond our solar system, such as Voyager 1, though its technological features will wear out long before it reaches the nearest star. The universe's massive size ensures many of its secrets will remain permanently beyond our reach, but we wrestle with the mysteries available to us. What are dark matter and dark energy? Will we ever precisely identify these chilling phenomena? The observable universe's billions of galaxies come in many shapes and sizes, but most—including our Milky Way—appear to contain a supermassive black hole in their center. Who ever said space is a quiet or safe place? Mr. Jennings moves on to the subject of extraterrestrials. Scientific odds favor their existence, so why have none made confirmed contact with us? The Fermi Paradox is a conundrum, indeed. In seventh period, Ken lists some fun and not-so-fun aspects of space travel, then relates the history of humanity's space race in the twentieth century. Our professor concludes with a philosophical rationale for why we explore space despite the dangers and hardship. He then proctors the Official Junior Genius Certification Exam, and offers a few light homework assignments for those wanting to discover more about the exotic environment beyond Earth. It's been a school day well spent.
  
  There isn't much thematic depth or emotional resonance to the first four Junior Genius Guides, but they prime the pump for kids who might become passionate about the subject. I've read more scintillating books about the paradoxes and terrors of deep space, but Ken tackles the subject with humor and enthusiasm, both of which are welcome in preteen academia. Where will the next generation of astronauts come from if kids aren't encouraged to be curious about the universe? I might rate this book two and a half stars; there are better works of juvenile nonfiction, but Ken Jennings is good at presenting knowledge so kids want to partake. That's a noteworthy achievement.
• 
  Meredith Mara

  4.5/5 :) These books are so cool, crammed with knowledge and fun facts. Like, did you know birds can't swallow in space? Yup. Read this book to find out how they figured that one out.
• 
  Lev

  I like that they were talking about space. I learned how to make a toy rocket and when I was doing the test at the end, I got 16/20, which is the highest score bracket, called "Certified Junior Genius." And I was proud.
• 
  Eva

  WORNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  Only because: THE BIG BANG IS NOT REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  Do people read the Bible????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  GOD created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was not created billions of years ago. This book was poorly written. DO NOT READ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 
  Mike

  A guide which is helpful not only for Jr. Geniuses, but for Senior Dummies, such as I.
  
  Some interesting bits:
  The line on the moon between sunlight and shadow is the terminator
  Goldilocks zone: region around a star where habitable planets could possibly orbit
  Jupiter's 4 moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto
  Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams classify stars.
  Alpha Centauri the 2nd closest star system. (after the sun)
  23% of the universe is made up of dark matter.
  Fermi Paradox, where is everybody?
  Americans called Laika "Muttnik".
  (The preview of his next book about microscopy, mentions the one bone in the body that's not attached to any other bones.) (No spoiler alert. You need to look it up like I did.)
• 
  Nicola

  Fun book packed full of facts and diagrams with sufficient humour to stay engaging. Miss 4 chose it because of her ongoing interest in the solar system and orbits. We haven't tried to read all of it but she's enjoyed the chapters that we have delved into.
  
  Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
• 
  Katey

  I absolutely adore these books. I purchased as a gift for my nephew, but I had to read it first. Funny and packed full of information.
• 
  PottWab Regional Library

  O
• 
  Alex

  I love these!
• 
  Jennifer Hildebrandt

  This book targets students in the third through fifth grade reading levels with lots of interesting facts about the planets, stars, and even how astronauts adapt to living in space. I was glad to see some historical information presented in here as well, including the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, Russia’s Sputnik and scientists such as Galileo and Stephen Hawking. The organization of the book into period blocks with interludes for lunch, recess, and various specials, makes it feel structured like a typical school day and therefore offers familiarity to the targeted reader. As with any non-fiction work, there are plenty of words specific to the material, but the author does a nice job of adding levity and tries to make jokes and references to everyday life and current social norms. Overall, the words and the illustrations make for an entertaining glimpse at Outer Space and a good starting point for further discoveries and research by the readers.
• 
  Michele

  I adore Ken Jennings. I think he makes facts fun and learning a lark. I may not have his signature like Rachel but I'm second in adoration of the man.
  Asteroids with billions of dollars inside? Wouldn't that make a great sci-fi movie. The astronauts land on an asteroid to start mining it and find something else inside....
• 
  Ms. B

  Ken Jennings as a children's author!? I wasn't sure what to expect or if I would like this book.
  Well-written book that presents facts in a light, humorous way. Good book to read or share during space units or to learn more about this broad topic.
• 
  The Brothers

  Asher (8yo) read. "Really cool - I never knew that Neptune rained diamonds! There is a moon of Saturn that has volcanoes that shoot out snow and ice. Weird!"
• 
  Nikki

  Great readaloud with Desmond
• 
  Elizabeth

  I love this series. I really love reading these and discussing them with my kids.