About the Author

Colin Stuart is an astronomy speaker and author who has talked to well over a quarter of a million people about the universe, ranging from schools and the public to conferences and businesses. His books have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide and he's written over 100 popular science articles for publications including The Guardian, New Scientist, BBC Focus and the European Space Agency. A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Colin has talked about the wonders of the universe on Sky News, BBC News and Radio 5Live and been quoted in national newspapers including The Daily Telegraph and The Observer. In recognition of his efforts to popularise astronomy, the asteroid (15347) Colinstuart is named after him. Charlie Brandon-King is an illustrator, print-maker and textiles obsessive. She has illustrated two other books with Button Books: A Cat Called Panda and Travel Activity Book. Find out more at: www.charliebrandonking.com

Reviews

An overview of our solar system, from the sun to the Kuiper Belt, and how we are exploring it. As solar-system tours go, it's a quick flyby, but it's also lively and unusually rich in uncommon observations and insights. Following views of the Big Bang and the history of astronomy, Stuart stops at the sun, then Mercury, Venus (where human visitors would be "baked, crushed, and dissolved"), and each other planet in succession. On the way, he cogently argues that Mars is the "most explored" planet, as we have better maps of its surface than our own ocean bottoms. The journey is rounded out with a mixed bag of topical spreads ranging from a gallery of dwarf planets to a timeline of our outer-space ventures up to Elon Musk's 2018 SpaceX rocket launch and a diagrammatic look at a modern Soyuz launch and return. In the illustrations, satellites and spacecraft, enlarged images of select moons, exploded views, fact boxes, and digestible narrative blocks orbit Brandon-King's larger, reasonably realistic planetary portraits. Occasional scenes feature light- and dark-skinned human figures of all genders peering into telescopes or floating in vacuum. A memorable flight for prospective space travelers

"For our family this book has been a great addition to our limited space knowledge and we have found it very informative and interesting. It definitely filled the gap that we needed - a book that was not too basic yet not too complicated for my eight year old (and his mom) to understand." 4th December 2018--https: //ofamilylearningtogether.com/, "https: //ofamilylearningtogether.com/,"

"It gives you clear, precise illustrations and you learn a lot." July 2019--https: //storyislandreviews.wordpress.com "Website/Blog"

"Perfect for KS2 children, who will learn about the solar system as part of the curriculum, this well presented and superbly illustrated book makes learning a complex subject enjoyable and understandable, with text pitched at just the right level for the age. Comprehensive content but not overwhelming - perfectly pitched." 23rd November 2018--http: //parentsintouch.co.uk/ "http: //parentsintouch.co.uk/"

"Sit back, buckle up and get ready to enjoy a cosmic tour of our awe-inspiring solar system with this illuminating illustrated guide. Inside this exciting book, you'll discover the incredible things that make up the solar system and how it came into existence. With all these insightful, bite-sized facts to devour and fabulous illustrations to marvel at budding astronomers are sure to come away from their journey with an even greater sense of awe at the wonders above us." 28th November 2018--http: //www.rachaeljess.com/, "http: //www.rachaeljess.com/,"

"The hardback book is very resilient with thick paper pages. The illustrations are colourful and details and the text provided in short paragraphs which are easy to digest but full of interesting information." 28th November 2018--https: //www.raisiebay.com/ "https: //www.raisiebay.com/,"