November 1, 2016
Gr 5-9-These titles aren't adventures per se but rather an engaging way to reach students hesitant about space science. Some of the "paths" simply end when that part of a mission concludes or the particular engineering problem is solved, while others continue to a final goal. Negative endings are possible, including being fired or getting space motion sickness. Some choices introduce moral dilemmas, while others simply involve choosing among relatively equal possibilities. The "Breaking into the Boy's Club" chapter in Space Race is from the perspective of a female pilot and contends with the barriers women faced in the early days of NASA. The conclusion of each text reveals developments based on the subject of each book that affect contemporary life. For example, in Mars Exploration Rovers, the final chapter discusses the new rover NASA's engineers are working on, to be launched in 2020, and how these rovers are paving the way for future human exploration.
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2017
Travel in space with NASA in these latest Choose Your Own Adventurenarratives based on real events. Readers select different plot options to follow, all accompanied by black-and-white and color photographs. Unfortunately, transitions between sections are inadequate and the stories are a bit wooden. Still, young readers will learn a lot about the evolution of the space program since the 1960s. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)