Out of this World! Children’s Books about SPACE!
As parents, we want our children to know they are capable of achieving great things in life, if they are willing to work hard. These children’s books about space will leave them “reaching for the stars!”
Whether we’re at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum, the Kennedy Space Center, stargazing atop Haleakala, or in our own living room… we can’t seem to get enough of the universe. There is something simply mind-blowing about seeing an actual moon rock, the Saturn V rocket, or a spacecraft that has orbited the earth! The scientific advancements and discoveries are always changing and there is SO much to learn.
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We’ve put together a list of our favorite children’s books about space! There is even a BONUS section filled with games and hands-on activities to help your child explore the great unknown. No roaming the aisles, searching for books about space; we took the guess work out of it for you! We’ve broken down our list by category to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
Perhaps, these resources will take your family on a journey to “infinity and beyond!”
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
When We Walked on the Moon: Discover the Dangers, Disasters, and Triumphs of Every Moon Mission by David Long and Sam Kalda.
Race to the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 (Picture a Country) by Jen Green.
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca.
One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh.
Team Moom: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh.
Papa Put a Man on the Moon by Kristy Dempsey.
Imagine You Were There… Walking on the Moon by Caryn Jenner
Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon by Torben Kuhlmann.
Go for the Moon: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing by Chris Gall.
Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon by Judy Donnelly.
Neil Armstrong
I am Neil Armstrong by Brad Meltzer.
Who was Neil Armstrong? by Roberta Edwards.
When Neil Armstrong Built a Wind Tunnel by Mark Weakland.
A Kite for Moon by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple
Buzz Aldrin
Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin.
National Geographic Kids: Buzz Aldrin by Kitson Jazynka.
To the Moon and Back: My Apollo 11 Adventure by Buzz Aldrin.
Look to the Stars by Buzz Aldrin.
Michael Collins
The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins by Bea Uusma Schyffert.
Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut’s Story by Michael Collins.
I Love You , Michael Collins by Lauren Baratz-Logsted.
Michael Collins: Discovering History’s Heroes by James Buckley Jr.
Biographies/Autobiographies
Becoming a Spacewalker; My Journey to the Stars by Astronaut Jerry Ross and Susan G. Gunderson.
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon by Suzanne Slade.
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade.
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker.
Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed.
Margaret and the Moon by Dean Robbins.
The Astronaut Who Painted The Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean by Dean Robbins.
The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney by Alice B. McGinty.
Starry Messenger by Peter Sis.
Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space by Libby Jackson.
The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield.
Sally Ride: A Photobiography of America’s Pioneering Woman in Space by Tam O’Shaughnessy.
Constellations and Astronomy Guides
Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations–and How You Can Find Them in the Sky by Michael Driscoll.
Find the Constellations by H. A. Rey.
The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H. A. Rey.
Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations by Jacqueline Mitton.
The Constellations: Stars and Stories by Chris Sasaki.
What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky by Kelsey Oseid.
Seeing Stars: A Complete Guide to the 88 Constellations by Sara Gillingham.
The Glow-In-the-Dark Night Sky Book by Clint Hatchett.
When The Stars Come Out by Nicola Edwards
Astronomy: Discoveries, Solar System, Stars, Universe by Carole Stott.
Astronomy Guides
National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night Sky by Howard Schneider and Sandy Wood.
National Geographic Pocket Guide to the Night Sky of North America by Catherine Herbert Howell.
Exploring the Night Sky: The Equinox Astronomy Guide for Beginners by Terence Dickinson.
Stargazers by Gail Gibbons.
The Sun, Moon, and Planets
Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty.
Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty.
The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons.
The Moon Seems to Change by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley.
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty.
Planetarium by Chris Wormell and Raman Prinja.
Planetarium Activity Book by Chris Wormell and Raman Prinja.
The Planets by Gail Gibbons.
Planet Earth/Inside Out by Gail Gibbons.
Planets, Moons and Stars: Take-Along Guide by Laura Evert.
Eight Spinning Planets by Brian James.
Galaxies, Galaxies! by Gail Gibbons.
Outer Space
Space!: The Universe as You’ve Never Seen It Before by DK Children.
Voyage Through Space (Glow in the Dark) by Katy Flint.
Space Kids: An Introduction for Young Explorers by Andrea DeSantis and Steve Parker.
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space by Catherine D. Hughes.
Smart Kids: Space: For Kids Who Really Love Space! by Roger Priddy.
A Journey Through Space by John Haslam and Steve Parker.
Gravity by Jason Chin.
Interactive Material
Safari Ltd. TOOB Space: Includes 2 Astronauts, 1 Space Chimp (Ham), and 7 assorted spacecraft.
Animals in the Stars Lacing Cards by Robie Rogge and Dian G. Smith.
Constellation the Space Race Game by Green Board.
Night Sky Playing Cards: Playing with the Constellations (Nature’s Wild Cards)
The Solar System by Safari Ltd. Safariology.
Flash of Brilliance Updated Outer Space Flash Cards
Uncle Goose Planet Blocks (Made in the USA)
Uncle Goose Moon Phase Blocks (Made in the USA)
Uncle Goose Constellation Blocks (Made in the USA)
Ravensburger Outer Space Puzzle
Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle
Professor Noggin’s Outer Space Card Game
Read about our other space adventures:
- Stargazing Atop Haleakala (Maui)
- The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (Bradenton, Florida)
24 Comments
Karen
Wow! What a comprehensive collection! This is great for a parent of a space enthusiast and teachers! Thanks for compiling!
Charlene
Sure thing! We definitely have a couple of space enthusiasts on our hands.
Renee
My daughter just said yesterday she wanted to travel to the moon and was asking a lot of space-related questions. We will definitely be using your book suggestions to learn more. Thank you.
Charlene
So glad to hear. Best wishes to your daughter on her journey to the moon!
Sierra
What a great collection of space books! I have a little space-lover that would love all of these. Adding a few to his Christmas list!
Charlene
Thank you and great idea for Christmas… it will be here before we know it!
Cindy
These are great reads! Thank you for the ideas. We will look for them at our local library!
Charlene
You’re welcome and sounds like a great idea.
Misty
That is quite the list of books. I will definitely have to check some of them out when my girls get a little older and are starting to show interest in the moon, stars, galaxy, and all that. Thank you for sharing.
Charlene
We’re so glad you liked our list and we are always happy to share good books.
Margaret
This is a wonderful collection of space books! Thank you so much for putting this together. I especially like the fact that it is well rounded and diverse.
Charlene
Thank you! There is just SO much to learn about on the subject, and I’m sure this list will be updated frequently as we discover more titles we love.
Shirley
How fun! My boys loved space books. I will be looking at finding a few to read to my grandson. Thanks for the great list!
Charlene
Aw, my son is really into space right now. Hope you and your grandson enjoy some outer space books together!
Lora
What child doesn’t want to go to space? ?? I love books that not only use your imagination but also educate.
Charlene
Right?! We love these books for the same reasons! Happy reading!
Sydney Delong
What a great list!!
Charlene
Thank you!
Monica
That is a great list! I should get one of these books for my daughter. Thank you for the recommendations.
Charlene
Sure thing! Happy reading with your daughter.
Tara
I’m always looking for new book suggestions for my 3 young boys…I think you just added a few to my list~thank you!
Charlene
Happy to help! Hope your boys love your space books selection.
Annette
A fabulous selection of space books!! January is the perfect time to learn about space, as the nights are longer and we can get more time to do some skywatching!
Charlene
Thank you and such a good point about sky watching in January. The cold, clear, winter nights sure do create beautiful opportunities to admire the sky.