Samantha Bonar

Asteroids gives a strong and understandable overview of information about asteroids. Its goal is to instruct those who have little prior knowledge about asteroids. It discusses how asteroids were first discovered, how they are formed, what they’re made of, where they have previously impacted with Earth, the investigations into whether there are any threatening Earth, and how scientists plan to protect Earth from an impact as devastating as the one that may have lead to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Photos and drawings of asteroids in space, and photos of meteors, meteorites, and craters, as well as charts and a glossary help the reader understand the subject. Asteroids is written in a clear, conversational style that is both interesting and accessible to young adults. This is its strength. A drawback is that this is an overview of the subject, and those teens who want a very in-depth study of asteroids will not find it here.… (more)