COSMIC COLLISIONS: Asteroid vs. Comet

Illustration for COSMIC COLLISIONS: Asteroid vs. Comet, published by MIT Kids Press & Candlewick Press, comes out on April 2, 2024. It’s written by Dr. Marc Kuchner, and is the first in a series. You can find links to pre-order it here.

Synopsis:

There’s a comet speeding in from the outer solar system, and it’s about to slam into an asteroid. Who will be left standing after this interplanetary smackdown? The pockmarked asteroid, a veteran fighter who’s already seen some action? Or the dazzling comet, with its incredible velocity and a tail that stretches millions of miles? Kicking off a dynamic series on cosmic collisions, Asteroid vs. Comet starts by comparing the two opponents, then offers hints and context to encourage readers to use real science to form a hypothesis. Action-packed full-color illustrations with a graphic, comic-book feel will attract reluctant readers and kids who love smash-and-crash along with budding scientists. Curious readers can find back matter addressing the question of fact versus fiction, how to become a citizen scientist, and comets and asteroids in the news.

The language of boxing gives Kuchner a frame for introducing comet and asteroid attributes in this action- and information-packed science tome featuring an “incredible interplanetary smackdown” that will surely send readers’ gazes skyward. Ample headings and subheadings guide pre-match chatter as first-person prose describes the “contenders” (a “sort of potato-shaped” asteroid vs. “one big, bombastic comet”), as well as the “battlezone” (an asteroid belt “between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter”). Facts about where the objects formed and their temperature, speed, weight, material, and density enable readers to develop their own hypothesis about the likely winner of this “celestial slugfest.” Sportscasting language builds suspense until a final sky-filling “KAPOW,” analyzed by citizen scientists of various skin tones. Laid out in a boxy textbook-inset style, Schu’s digital renderings have a comic-book vibe and appear alongside squares offering terminology definitions. It’s an exuberant book that packs an out-of-this-world punch.

— Publishers Weekly