A space book for my son

[domstar]

Hi everyone,

Like his dad, my son is interested in space and I would like to get him a book for his birthday.  He's going to be ten but he doesn't want a kids book (neither does he want a star chart book). We would read it together because although he is basically bilingual, he doesn't read in English like a 10 year old in England would.

What I had in mind was a hard-back space book with simple explanations that he can understand with pictures but definitely not a coffee table Hubble book. I don't want the wonderful pictures to put him off looking at the mind blowing but understated views that we get from my telescope.

I can't just pop into WH Smith's so I was wondering if anyone here has any ideas.

Thanks in advance and apologies if I sound too negative. (Reading this back, I sound a bit like an out of touch grandparent. Don't worry we'll get him something fun too.)

[SkyGibbon]

"Turn Left at Orion" was a good one to read when I was starting out. Although, not sure if comes in other languages. Other than that it seems to fit the bill.

[domstar]

Thanks SkyGibbon. Actually I have this book and I love it. The thing is I don't want something to help him look at the stars but some information to help him learn about space. For example very simply how are stars born and how do they die, and how big and far away are they. Turn Left is great, though.

[jabeoo1]

https://wordery.com/professor-astro-cats-frontiers-of-space-dominic-walliman-9781909263079

 

This review sums this book up very well:

Not dumbed down and very entertaining

Beautifully illustrated throughout with images that engage and excite. A 3 year old can look at the funny illustrations and be amused and an adult science graduate can still learn something from the facts given. The book is very high quality and robusty printed that will last for years. It is much bigger that the images on the wensite would imply. e.g. a foot square.

[triton1]

Wonders of the Universe might be a good bet based on the tv series presented by Brian Cox a very informative read.You could then back that up with Wonders of the Solar System another good read.

[DaveTp]

I love my copy of The Stars: The Definitive Visual Guide

Very well illustrated with great contextual scale illustrations.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Stars-Definitive-Visual-Guide-Cosmos/0241226023

[old_eyes]

Agree with DaveTp The Stars from Dorling Kindersley. The DK books are great for kids of that age. Don't dumb down, lots of visuals and pack an enormous amount in. They can be read at many different levels and are useful right through to adulthood. There is a certain amount of Hubble imagery pizzazz, but I don't think you are going to find any modern child-friendly book on astronomy that doesn't have that.

We bought loads of DK books for our sons and never had a duff one.

As a left field suggestion how about Powers of 10. A fantastic way to understand the relative size of things in our universe. Out of print as far as I can see at the moment, but cand be obtained second hand. My kids were mesmerised by it. Very accessible.

[domstar]

Thanks everyone. Could be The Stars  is the one for me. Thanks for the advice.