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 52 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 comet threatens a planet of dinosaur-like beasts. Can spacemice save them and survive?
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.
