Book Review: Why Space Will Freak You Out - The Scariest, Strangest Parts of the Universe
March 2026 :
Why Space Will Freak You Out: The Scariest, Strangest Parts of the Universe
By Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke, with illustrations by Robert Ball
Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Kids, 2026, ISBN 978-1-4642-2709-7, Softbound, $12.99, US
Reviewed by Francine Jackson
If you’ve ever wondered whether it could be an easy ride through the universe, you might want to read this book first. While looking up at the beauty of the sky, it might be difficult to imagine what could happen to you.
Open up to any page: Let’s start here in our solar system. Our closest planetary neighbor, beautiful Venus. It can choke, crush and roast you! Saturn is a “deadly mosh pit,” whose lovely rings, by the way, will pelt you to oblivion.
Or, let’s venture to some of our exoplanets, those outside of our own system. There you might find yourself facing a planetary zombie, a planet so dark it will equate to walking on a lump of coal, or another that rains glass – death by a thousand paper cuts.
Perhaps you might want to visit other celestial bodies. Many stars and galaxies are just as difficult to get close to. There are those exploding, radiating gamma rays – not a good thing – and, don’t forget spaghettification by black hole.
Despite the title of this book (It could be called how the universe is trying to kill you) it is a great read for everyone. It is listed as juvenile nonfiction; however, the vocabulary might be a bit above the age listed, but the illustrations are sure to entertain even the youngest reader. Perhaps, the best way to enjoy this book is to have a parent read it to a child, in a kind of tongue-in-cheek format, to assure that, although all this “danger” might be out there, as long as you’re here on Earth, there’s nothing to worry about. Yet. Enjoy.
