Most of space stays politely out of reach. Space rocks do not. A comet turns up on a schedule someone worked out centuries ago, a meteor streaks across the sky faster than anyone can point at it, and every so often a lump of the early solar system lands in a farmer’s field and ends up behind glass in a museum. It is also the corner of astronomy where the vocabulary finally makes sense: a meteoroid is the rock, a meteor is the streak, and a meteorite is what you can hold.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 51 books about comets, asteroids, and meteors, our editors chose twelve that cover the science, the sky-watching, and the very good stories that begin when something falls out of the sky. Start with the shortlist, then browse picture books for young sky-watchers and longer reads for independent readers.
Rocket has one night to get her whole street outside before a once-in-a-lifetime comet passes overhead.
Seymour Simon sorts out what comets, meteors, and asteroids actually are, and where each one comes from.
Moomintroll and Sniff hike to a mountain observatory to ask the professors one question: is the comet really coming for us?
The asteroid that ended the dinosaurs, told at a length a newly independent reader can finish alone.
Astro is an asteroid who likes his personal space — right up until a passing satellite knocks him out of the belt.
Maria Mitchell swept the Nantucket sky night after night until, in 1847, she spotted a comet no one had seen before.
A fireball crashes into the Arctic Ocean, and Tintin joins the race to reach the meteorite before a rival expedition does.
A rock leaves its billion-year orbit, lands on the trunk of a teenager’s car, and works its way into a museum case.
A meteorite lands in Henry’s Maine field, and not long afterward the town’s wells begin running dry.
A space rock is headed for Walker Elementary, so Ms. Frizzle takes the class out to meet it.
A rhyming ride along one comet’s long loop through the solar system, built for the smallest hands.
Fireballs in the backyard, grumpy asteroids, and the night a comet passes overhead — read-alouds for ages 3–8.
A comet's forest offers Nyla a chance to find home in a new city.
A quiet boy becomes a midnight superhero to stop a meteor from hitting Earth.
A comet approaches, and Stink must face his fears to save Earth from cosmic chaos.
A scullery maid defies odds to become a pioneering astronomer.
A girl hears a tale of a boy who found a star and what found him.
Two neighbors' silent stares break with a shooting star, sparking unexpected friendship.
Join a comet's journey through the solar system, meeting planets and more.
A lonely star meets a comet. Will it find friendship in the vast universe?
A young dreamer defies limits to explore the stars and discover a comet.
A stolen meteorite leads young sleuths on a cosmic mystery adventure.
A young woman defies societal norms to reach for the stars.
Explore the mysteries of our solar system and its celestial wonders.
Meteorite hunts, asteroid close calls, and night-sky guides for independent readers ages 7–12.
An asteroid threatens Earth, forcing Kemi to confront loss and the fragility of life.
Trapped on a comet, the Spinjitzu masters face an alien stowaway.
A meteor strikes, causing chaos in Dino World. Can two adventurers save the dinosaurs?
A group of cat astronauts try to repair a telescope and save the world from an asteroid.
A space crew races to save an asteroid, facing a puzzling language barrier.
Middle school chaos meets asteroid threat. Can Eleanor save her world?
A meteor crash leads friends into danger, testing their bonds and uncovering hidden truths.
A genie grants one wish to a fifth-grade class. What could go wrong?
A meteorite grants powers but brings mysterious symptoms. Is it a gift or a threat?
Uncover the secrets of the universe and the tools that reveal them.
Discover the origins of asteroids and their potential impact on Earth.
Explore the mysteries of asteroids, meteorites, and comets.
