
Astrophysics for Supervillains: A Gruesome Guide to Conquering the Universe for Supervillains in Training
by Dr Matthew Bothwell, illustrated by Nathan Reed
Interest age: 6 to 8
Reading age: 9 to 11
Published by DK, 2024
About this book
Could you crash the Moon into the Earth? What happens if you throw someone into a black hole? (They become spaghettified!) And could you survive on Pluto? (Unlikely – the temperature is -230 degrees.) They’re all interesting and quite morbid ideas, though, especially if you’re looking for ways to conquer the universe.
Presented as a guide to astrophysics for would-be supervillains, this fun and informative book covers topics such as: which are the most deadly planets in the solar system? Why is the sun basically a nuclear explosion? How can black holes be useful to villains aiming to take over the universe? And, perhaps most usefully of all, how can the Earth be destroyed?
There’s plenty of science here, but it’s all very understandable and presented in a vibrant black and white format with tons of variety, fun facts, big fonts, and shouty headlines that mean the book feels fun.
The tone is jokey and there are lots of cartoonish illustrations throughout. Great fun and ideal for upper primary aged children.
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Survival in Space: The Apollo 13 Mission
by David Long, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
9 to 12+ years
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How To Spaghettify Your Dog… and other science secrets of the universe
by Hiba Noor Khan, illustrated by Harry Woodgate
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The World at Night
by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Paula Bossio
6 to 9 years
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Bridges
by Magda Garguláková, illustrated by Jakub Bachorík
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Lists of recommended reads
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Books we love in November 2024
A selection of books we loved this month