A trio of friends explore the wonders of space in Gaëlle Alméras's charming graphic nonfiction work for middle-grade readers, Super Space Weekend. Comic-style characters Squeak, Orni, and Castor spend a weekend in Squeak's treetop observatory discovering exciting facts, observing heavenly bodies, and coming away enamored with the mysteries beyond Earth.
Models, maps, illustrations, and diagrams grace many of the delightful, grayscale panels and double-page spreads. Squeak explains to their friends (and readers) the various elements of space and the tools used to examine and understand them: "Early telescopes used lenses to magnify the night sky. Modern telescopes use a system of mirrors instead." They also share facts about pioneers in the field, like the "Super Space Women," the first women in space from four different countries.
Alméras includes brilliant pops of color in her otherwise completely black-and-white work to enhance things such as the Northern Lights or a stellar nebula. The author/illustrator also employs relatable analogies, zestfully translated from the French by David Warriner, to help her audience grasp challenging concepts, like comparing the spiral Milky Way galaxy to a pizza: "Imagine the view you'd have if you were a slice of pepperoni!" And nestled into the information-filled pages are other little treasures, like a Darth Vader mask and trivia tidbits: "The term [Big Bang] was first used by physicist Fred Hoyle, who was poking fun at this theory on the radio in England" ("I'll never believe the universe was created in a big bang!"). Edifying and entertaining, this graphic work is likely to launch a love of outer space for many young minds. --Jen Forbus, freelancer