To Outer Space… And Beyond! Books about Astronomy.
Children are naturally curious about what lies beyond our planet. Here are some books the Tampa-Hillsborough County Library has about astronomy: the science that studies everything beyond earth’s atmosphere.
For younger children/ preschool and lower elementary school.
“Space: Let’s Zoom up to the Stars!” by DK Publishing introduces young children to vocabulary about the planets, stars and even space exploration. This board book also contains interactive questions and activities to encourage learning and curiosity.
“Astronomy You Can Nibble” by Megan Borgert-Spaniol helps children visualize and learn astronomy concepts by making edible constellations, iced eclipse cookies, and more. These space-inspired recipes are easy to make, fun to eat and allow substitutions.
“The Fact-Finders Universe” by Tracey Turner is a fun graphic novel that presents many facts about earth and space as the protagonists travel together in their spaceship, visiting the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud along the way. Embark on a journey through the universe. Fly by the International Space Station and watch a meteor shower!
For older children and tweens- upper elementary and middle school.
“Weird But True! Space: 300 Out-of-this-world Facts” by National Geographic Publishing: Did you know some meteorites contain diamonds? Or that even if you travel at the speed of light, it will still take around 200,000 years to travel across the Milky Way? Learn many more interesting facts with this fun read.
“Planetarium” by Chris Wormell and Raman Prinja transports readers through outer space with detailed engravings that provide all the steps for your journey. From the electromagnetic spectrum to telescopes, moons and planets. it even discusses and illustrates the past and future. This collaboration between a printmaker and an astronomy professor will delight both amateurs and experts.
For teens and up- high school and beyond.
“Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil DeGrasse Tyson: Astrophysics may seem intimidating: so much math, science and history together. But it does not have to be! Stroll through this book for an introduction about the many aspects of astrophysics, written by one of the top experts in the field.
We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson is an engaging, easy-to-read book with a question-and-answer format. How does dark matter interact? What is it even made of? There are so many things we do not know about the universe, even though we have learned so much thus far.
Heidi Colom is a librarian at the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library. She obtained her master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida, and her specialist degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University.
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Originally published in the April 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.