Children’s Books About Planets · 165 titles considered

The Best Planet Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors
Updated August 8, 2026

Eight planets circle our Sun, and not one behaves quite like another. Venus spins backward beneath crushing clouds, Jupiter carries a storm wider than Earth, Saturn is light enough to float if anyone could find a bathtub, and a year on Neptune lasts 165 Earth years. Children tend to arrive for the rings and stay for the realization that every world has rewritten the rules.

Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 165 planet books, our editors chose ten that move from a toddler’s first orbit to clear solar-system references, a real argument over what counts as a planet, and the first worlds found around other stars. Start with the shortlist, then browse read-alouds for younger explorers or fact books and adventures for independent readers.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Planet Books for Kids

8 Little Planets
Sale price
$1049
Board Book · Ages 0–3 · 2018

8 Little Planets

By Chris Ferrie, Lizzy Doyle (Illustrator)

Count outward from hot, speedy Mercury to cold, windy Neptune while each planet shows off one memorable trait.

18 pages
Best for
A toddler’s first trip past all eight planets
4.8/7 Bookroo·4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,178 ratings
$10.99Save 5%
Board book
There's No Place Like Space!
Sale price
$958
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1999

There's No Place Like Space!

The Cat in the Hat takes Sally and Dick past the Sun, the Moon, and every planet in a rhyming tour of the solar system.

48 pages· 984 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud
Best for
A lively first read-aloud with real staying power
5.5/7 Bookroo·4.3/5 Goodreads · 4,658 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Hardcover
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years
Sale price
$1797
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017

Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years

By Stacy McAnulty, David Litchfield (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the Our Universe series

Earth narrates 4.54 billion years of fiery beginnings, cooling crust, changing continents, and life arriving rather late in the story.

40 pages· 512 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud
Best for
Meeting our home as a planet rather than a map
5.0/7 Bookroo·4.4/5 Goodreads · 1,583 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Hardcover
A Place for Pluto
Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2018

A Place for Pluto

By Stef Wade, Melanie Demmer (Illustrator)

After losing his place among the planets, Pluto crosses the solar system looking for a group whose definition he actually fits.

32 pages· 654 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud
Best for
Explaining Pluto’s demotion without draining away the fun
4.8/7 Bookroo·4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,043 ratings
$15.95Save 6%
Hardcover
The Magic School Bus
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 4–8 · 1990

The Magic School Bus

When the planetarium is closed, Ms. Frizzle solves the problem by driving her class through the actual solar system.

40 pages· 3,465 words· Est. 58 min read
Best for
The classic field trip for a child who learns through chaos
3.8/7 Bookroo·4.3/5 Goodreads · 9,854 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Little Kids First Big Book of Space
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 3–5 · 2012

Little Kids First Big Book of Space

Bright photographs and short sections move from Earth and its Moon through the planets, galaxies, black holes, and human spaceflight.

128 pages· 5,582 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
Best for
A preschooler who wants a big fact book of their own
4.5 Goodreads · 1,006 ratings
$14.95Save 6%
Hardcover
Planets
Sale price
$574
Chapter Book · Ages 6–8 · 2012

Planets

Photographs, diagrams, and compact fact boxes introduce the planets, dwarf planets, moons, and smaller bodies in our solar system.

32 pages· 997 words· Est. 12 min read
Best for
A first planet report written without adult help
4.2 Goodreads · 624 ratings
$5.99Save 4%
Paperback
XO, Exoplanet
Sale price
$1797
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2021

XO, Exoplanet

The solar system’s planets begin a letter exchange with a mysterious distant world and end up debating what the word planet means.

40 pages· 573 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud
Best for
Going beyond our solar system for the first time
4.1 Goodreads · 295 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Planetarium
Sale price
$3325
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2018

Planetarium

An oversized celestial museum opens gallery by gallery, from the Sun and planets to stars, galaxies, and the edge of the observable universe.

112 pages
Best for
The large-format reference book worth leaving open
4.6 Goodreads · 398 ratings
$35.00Save 5%
Hardcover
Mars! Earthlings Welcome
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2021

Mars! Earthlings Welcome

By Stacy McAnulty, Stevie Lewis (Illustrator) · Book #5 in the Our Universe series

Mars introduces its rusty surface, enormous volcano, two lumpy moons, and ambitious plans for visiting Earthlings.

40 pages· 769 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud
Best for
A funny close look at one neighboring planet
4.3 Goodreads · 577 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Browse by age

Planet Picture Books for Young Explorers

The eight planets, Mars missions, Pluto’s demotion, and solar-system tours to read aloud with ages 3–8.

Sale price
$999

Fancy Nancy Sees Stars

Ages 4–8 · 2008

A class goes on a field trip to a planetarium to learn about stars and planets, but their trip is disrupted by a storm.

Good Night, Oppy!
Sale price
$1899

Good Night, Oppy!

Ages 4–8 · 2021

A rover's 15-year Mars mission uncovers secrets and faces cosmic challenges.

Stella's Stellar Hair
Sale price
$1899

Stella's Stellar Hair

Ages 4–8 · 2021

Stella's hair misbehaves before a big event. Can a cosmic journey with her aunties save the day?

Pluto Gets the Call
Sale price
$1799

Pluto Gets the Call

Ages 3–8 · 2019

Pluto embarks on a cosmic quest to discover why he's no longer a planet.

Curiosity
Sale price
$2299

Curiosity

Ages 5–9 · 2017

Join a rover's journey to Mars, uncovering secrets of the red planet.

Red Rover
Sale price
$1999

Red Rover

Ages 3–6 · 2019

A rover explores Mars, seeking secrets and signs of life.

Heart on Pluto
Sale price
$899

Heart on Pluto

Ages 5–8 · 2020

A satellite finds a heart-shaped message of love on Pluto.

Browse by age

Planet Books for Independent Readers

Photographic guides, large-format references, planetary science, and space adventures for readers ages 6–12.

A Rover's Story
Sale price
$1999

A Rover's Story

Ages 8–12 · 2022

A Mars rover faces perilous challenges and unexpected emotions on a mission to survive.

Sale price
$699

Away in a Star Sled

Ages 7–10 · 2016

The elfix aliens vanish before the galaxy's gift-giving night. Can the spacemice save the holiday?

Sale price
$799

Beware! Space Junk!

Ages 7–10 · 2016

Space junk threatens MouseStar 1. Can spacemice stop rebellious robots before chaos ensues?

Sale price
$799

Space

Ages 7–9 · 2015

Uncover space mysteries with Jack and Annie's fact-filled journey beyond fiction.

The Lion of Mars
Sale price
$1799

The Lion of Mars

Ages 8–12 · 2021

A virus strikes Mars, leaving kids to uncover secrets and save their colony.