CurriConnects Book List - Solar System and Space

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Solar System and Space
Launch into books about space and space exploration. Delve into black holes, or get to know famous astronomers. This list includes books at all levels from young "astronauts to be" to high school space scholars. Include this booklist as you count down to a unit on space so each student can do some personal exploration - and sharing. There are books at all interest and reading levels, so every student can reach for the stars.

Preschool and Picture Books

I Want to Be an Astronaut - Byron Barton, (978-0064432801), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 100
Learn all about what NASA astronauts experience in space.

The Big Dipper - Franklyn Branley, (978-0064451000), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 460
A little girl exclaims about seeing the stars and the entire universe with her father.

The Sun: Our Nearest Star - Franklyn Branley, (978-0064452021), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 570
Read to learn all about the sun and its energy, size, light, and importance.

I Like Stars - Margaret Wise Brown, (978-1439598849), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Enjoy this poem which describes the different types and colors of stars.

On the Launch Pad - Michael Dahl, (978-1404811195), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 520
Learn counting from 12 to one as you watch the number of rockets decrease in this counting book.

Space Boy - Leo Landry, (978-0618605682), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Nicholas needs to get away, so he dons his space suit and heads to the moon for a peaceful picnic.

Astronaut Handbook - Meghan McCarthy, (978-0375844591), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 760
Experience all the preparations an astronaut undergoes before he/she flies into space.

Pluto Visits Earth - Steve Metzger, (978-0545249348), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 380
Pluto sets out on a campaign to regain his planetary status after being demoted to dwarf planet status.

On the Moon - Anna Milbourne, (978-0794506179), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Take an imaginative journey into space with the characters in the book.

Roaring Rockets - Tony Mitton, (978-0753453056), Fiction
Interest level: K-1
Follow some cute animals into space.

Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes - Stuart Murphy, (978-0064467315), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 150
Readers learn about the important geometric figures as well as follow an intrepid explorer and his faithful dog as they steer around them in space.

Curious George and the Rocket - H.A. Rey, (978-0618120697), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Curious George becomes the first monkey astronaut.

Our Stars - Anne Rockwell, (978-0152163600), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 460
Learn all about the universe and its stars and other delights in the simplest of terms.

Me and My Place in Space - Joan Sweeney, (978-0517885901), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Follow the young astronaut as he explores the universe, learning the words for stars, planets, and other phenomena.

What's Out There? - Lynn Wilson, (978-0448405179), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3
Readers learn about the solar system and how it affects life on earth (Reading Railroad series).

Space Walk - Salina Yoon, (978-1402785245), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Learn about each planet's specialty here.

Early Elementary Books

Floating in Space - Franklyn Branley, (978-0064451420), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 690
This book in the Let's Read and Find Out Science series, answers all the questions the very young might have about space and astronauts.

One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong - Don Brown, (978-0618152391), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-2, Lexile: 670
This book describes the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Space Heroes - James Buckley, (978-0789498960), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4
Learn who the men and women were who served as astronauts and later began to pilot longer space missions on the space shuttles.

Lost in the Solar System - Joanna Cole, (978-0590414296), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 480
After the Magic School Bus takes a planetary tour, they return home despite Mrs. Frizzle's getting lost, and they make mobiles showing what they learned.

Laika: Astronaut Dog - Owen Davey, (978-0763668228), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
Based on the true story of the Russian dog Laika, this book tells how a stray dog came to be the first animal in space.

Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon - Judy Donnelly, (978-0394824574), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 550
This well-illustrated book describes the flight of Apollo 11 and the first walk on the moon.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 - Brian Floca, (978-1416950462), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-5, Lexile: 990
Follow the famous Apollo 11 astronauts on their trip to the moon in 1969 and their view of the earth from space.

The Moon Book - Gail Gibbons, (978-0823413645), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 740
Learn about the moon, its orbit and phases, and its history in mankind's development of science.

The Best Book of Spaceships - Ian Graham, (978-0753461679), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3
Learn all about the variety of space vehicles that have explored space.

Star Seeker - Theresa Heine, (978-1846863851), Fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 990
This book details a pretend journey through space featuring stops on some of the larger stars in the solar system.

Beyond the Black Hole - Blake Hoena, (978-1434208552), Fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 380
Eek and his friend Ack fall in a black hole and realize everything looks different from the inside, even earth (Eek and Ack series).

Kids' First Big Book of Space - Catherine D. Hughes, (978-1426310140), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3
Children of all ages will enjoy this simple approach to an elementary exploration of space and all its elements.

Mousetronaut - Mark Kelly, (978-1442458246), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 670
A tiny mouse saves the day on one of Mark Kelly's flights into space.

Mousetronaut Goes to Mars - Mark Kelly, (978-1442484269), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
Meteor the mouse who saved Mark Kelly's space flight goes to Mars this time.

Show Me Space: My First Picture Encyclopedia - Steve Kortenkamp, (978-1620659229), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-2, Lexile: 580
This engaging encyclopedia about space for the very young covers the solar system, space weather, astronauts, and space travel.

Thomas' Sheep and the Spectacular Science Project - Steven Layne, (978-1589802100), Fiction
Interest level: 2-3
Thomas' hard work on his science project causes him to dream about sheep in space.

The Story of Everything - Neal Layton, (978-0764159855), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-12
In picture book formation, this book explains how just about everything in the universe started!

The Blackest Hole in Space - Penny Little , (978-0340944677), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
After Charlie and his father build a rocket ship, Charlie and his dog take a ride on it and end up going into a black hole.

Astronaut: Living in Space - Deborah Lock, (978-1465402417), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3
Get your questions about how astronauts function in space answered here.

Space Quest - Peter Lock, (978-1465420039), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2
Ride along on this imagined journey to Mars in 2050 in this educational ride.

Stink: Solar System Superhero - Megan McDonald, (978-0763664251), Fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 530
Stink tries to get Pluto reinstated as a full-fledged planet (Stink Moody series).

If You Decide to Go to the Moon - Faith McNulty, (978-0590483599), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 690
If you are planning a moon flight, here's a book with all the necessary plans and information!

Space Explorers - Eva Moore, (978-0439114936), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 560
The Magic School Bus ventures into outer space to see the solar system first hand.

Awesome Space Robots - Michael O'Hearn, (978-1620657782), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 970
Learn about how robots are helping with space exploration.

Endeavour's Long Journey - John Olivas, (978-0985623722), Fiction
Interest level: 2-4
Jojo begins his time travel into space as he views an exhibit about the retired Endeavour space shuttle.

There's No Place Like Space - Tish Rabe, (978-0679891154), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 520
A young astronomer sets off on a wild voyage to the eight planets (no more Pluto!) (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library series)

Rockets and Spaceships - Karen Wallace, (978-0756672041), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Find out about rockets and other space vehicles.

Spacebusters - Philip Wilkinson, (978-0756690847), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4
Learn about how the U.S. competed and won the race to land men on the moon.

Upper Elementary to Middle School Books

13 Planets - David Aguilar, (978-1426307706), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 1120
How many planets are there really: this book attempts to provide the latest information about how scientists currently view the solar system.

Space Encyclopedia - David Aguilar, (978-1426309489), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-10
Look at this definitive reference book about space for answers to any questions you might have.

Planets - Penelope Arlon, (978-0545330282), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 820
As part of the Scholastic Discover More series, this book explores planets, the solar system, and space travel.

Space Exploration - Simon Basher, (978-0753471647), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7
Learn about the science behind space exploration and the people that make it work.

The Space Race - Peter Benoit, (978-0531281659), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Learn all about the politics and science behind the rivalry between the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R. to get into space.

Seven Wonders of Space Technology - Fred Bortz, (978-0761354536), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-10
This fascinating history of space exploration today details how past technological developments have led to today's sophisticated equipment and technologies.

A Black Hole is Not a Hole - Carolyn DeCristofano, (978-1570917837), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 900
What black hole really means is the topic of this book which explores space history and unusual phenomena.

Amazing Space Q & A - DK Publishing, (978-0756671303), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-10
Find answers to all your questions about space here.

Space Dogs - Chris Dubbs , (978-0595267354), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-8
This book describes the story of the Soviet astronaut program for dogs, the first space travelers.

Home on the Moon - Marianne Dyson, (978-0792271932), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7
Learn about the challenges and joys of possibly living on the moon!

Who Was Neil Armstrong? - Roberta Edwards, (978-0448449074), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 810
This book describes the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong.

The Women of Apollo - Robyn Friend, (978-1880599792), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-6
Read about four women who made significant contributions to the NASA space program.

Hunt for the Hydra - Jason Fry, (978-0062230201), Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 860
Children of a space conquering family battle over who will pilot the space craft after their mother resigns from the job.

Galaxies, Galaxies! - Gail Gibbons, (978-0823421923), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Learn about the Milky Way and explore more galaxies that exist at a great distance from earth.

How Do You Burp in Space? - Susan E. Goodman, (978-1599900681), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Learn what it is like to travel on a space ship and try to do normal daily activities there.

Zombie Butts from Uranus - Andy Griffiths, (978-0439424707), Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 750
Zack hopes to save the Earth from Uranus' zombie butt fiends (Bum Trilogy series).

George's Secret Key to the Universe - Stephen Hawking, (978-1416954620), Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 850
Written by renown physicist Stephen Hawking, this book describes a boy's adventures in outer space while being pursued by a malevolent enemy.

Time for the Stars - Robert Heinlein, (978-0765314949), Fiction
Interest level: 6-10
The Long Range Foundation decides to use human telepathy for interplanetary communication; this book is a great example of early science fiction by master writer Robert Heinlein.

Sally Ride: Shooting for the Stars - Sue Hurwitz, (978-0449903940), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-9
Follow Sally Ride through astronaut training to real space travel!

Outer Space - Ken Jennings, (978-1481401708), Fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Read this fun approach to facts about space and solar system exploration.

Mars - Elaine Landau, (978-0531147900), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7
Joining other books about the planets in the True Books: Space series, this gives fascinating facts about all angles of exploring and observing Mars.

Exploring Our Sun - Dana Meachen Rau, (978-0531255025), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 810
Tour the solar system and get the latest information on how technology assists astronauts with space exploration.

To Space and Back - Sally Ride, (978-0688091125), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 1090
This fascinating book shares astronaut Sally Ride's views of space travel and answers questions you might have about living and working in space.

Eyes in the Sky - Lisa Jo Rudy, (978-0531187326), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-10
This amazing book gives us facts about how governments spy from space and discusses the history and technology behind the practice.

Night Sky - Giles Sparrow, (978-0545383745), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 1090
This book discusses stars, meteors, and planets along with other things people see in the overnight sky.

Mickey Price: Journey to Oblivion - John Stanley, (978-1933718880), Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 770
Three young boys attend a NASA training camp to prepare them for space flight.

Black Holes and Uncle Albert - Russell Stannard, (978-0571226146), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7
Uncle Albert and his niece explore the universe of black holes and find how time changes (Uncle Albert series)

Who Was Sally Ride? - Megan Stine, (978-0448466873), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 800
Learn about Sally Ride and her life as an astronaut and later, as a woman who encouraged women to study and go into science careers.

Team Moon - Catherine Thimmesh, (978-0618507573), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 1060
Learn how it took 400,000 people to safely land Apollo 11 on the moon and get back to earth.

Middle School to Young Adult Books

Animals in Space - Colin Burgess, (978-0387360539), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
This book describes the history of animals as astronauts in the U.S. and Soviet space programs.

Challenges of Human Space Exploration - Marsha Freeman, (978-1852332013), Non-fiction
Interest level: 10-12
This extensive book offers astronaut and scientist interviews, discussions of research during space missions, and summaries of challenges while working and researching in space.

Women in Space - Karen Bush Gibson, (978-1613748442), Non-fiction
Interest level: 7-12
This book explores the history of women in space including astronauts and cosmonauts.

Impact Jupiter - David Levy, (978-0306450884), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
This book details the historic comet crash into Jupiter on July 16, 1994.

Starclimber - Kenneth Oppel, (978-0060850593), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 700
Matt and Kate represent some of the first astronauts to venture into space and its potential crises.

Sally Ride - Lynn Sherr, (978-1476725765), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
Read about Sally Ride's remarkable accomplishments in breaking the sex barrier at NASA and science careers.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream - Tanya Lee Stone, (978-0763645021), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 980
Thirteen remarkable women attempted to become astronauts despite prejudice, sex discrimination, and lack of historica precedent.

The Comet's Curse - Dom Testa, (978-0765360779), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 840
After a comet destroys a high percentage of adults on earth, scientists find a way to send teens to a distant galaxy.

Soviet Space Dogs - Olesya Turkina, (978-0956896285), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12
This book tells the story of the Soviet dogs who went from being homeless to being famous because of their ventures into space.