Professor Astro Cat’s Atomic Adventure – Dr. Dominic Walliman & Ben Newman

‘Professor Astro Cat’s Atomic Adventure’ is the second non-fiction collaboration from the dynamic duo Dr. Dominic Walliman & Ben Newman who brought us the epic ‘Frontiers of Space’. This book takes us on a journey through the world of physics which forms an important part of our everyday lives. It answers those fundamental questions which as parents we are often asked by children but may struggle to answer accurately. How do planes stay in the air? Why is the sky blue? But it also addresses more complex topics of nuclear physics, the science of light and explores the world of atoms.

It is wonderfully accessible book with each page presenting bite size facts about the topics and explaining complicated concepts in a format children will find appealing and easy to understand. When discussing atoms Professor Astrocat investigates further by building a ‘scale invariant bubble transponder’, this is translated for the reader as a ‘shrinking tray.’ The bold and vibrant illustrations are brilliantly engaging and help engage younger children and demonstrate how science works in a clear and simple format. It is designed in such a way that it is easy for children to dip in and out of and it’s easily signposted to help them to seek out answers to their questions when they have a burning desire to find out for themselves.

The design, layout and illustrations are sublime and really striking. It feel more like a Picture Book than an Information book and is stunningly presented in such a way that you are drawn to opening up this book and delving in to find out more. As a school librarian I really wish more non-fiction books had such an appealing format it would make learning and understanding facts appeal to a wider range of children. This really is non-fiction at its best and I think it would be a fantastic addition to any school classroom or library.

You can read my review of Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space here and you can buy copies of both books here.

Thank you to Flying Eye for sending me a copy of this book.