Children's Books About the Universe

Introduction to the Universe

• Read books to your children that introduce them to the overall, basic concepts of the universe. For children ages 6 and older, "The Universe," by Seymour Simon, uses simple wording and full-page images to introduce children to elements of the universe, such as galaxies and planets, as well theories related to the inception and expansion of the universe. Another book to consider is "Universe," by Robin Kerrod, for kids 8 and older, which also provides a general overview of the universe with explanations of elements and theories that go a bit more into in-depth detail.

Planets and Stars

• Read books with your kids that teach them about the most well-known aspects of the universe -- the planets and the stars. One book to check out, for children ages 5 and older, is "National Geographic Readers: Planets," by Elizabeth Carney, which uses vivid illustrations to describe the planets in our solar system and includes cool facts that will fascinate kids. Another book, for children ages 8 and older, is "A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky," by Michael Driscoll, which introduces children to the scientific view of stars, as well as constellations and the myths and stories related to them. It also includes a star wheel that kids can take outside to help them locate certain stars.

Universe Phenomena

• Introduce your children to some of the more unusual and mysterious aspects of the universe with age-appropriate books. For children ages 7 and older, "Exploring Dangers in Space: Asteroids, Space Junk, and More," by Buffy Silverman, discusses some of the dangerous things that can occur -- and have occurred -- related to space, including meteors that have hit Earth as well as space junk, including old satellites falling to Earth. The book also explains how scientists watch for these and larger dangers to protect and prepare our planet. Another book to check out, for kids ages 10 and older, is "Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes," by Ellen Jackson, which discusses some of the lesser-known phenomena of the universe, including supernovae, which are massively powerful exploding stars; and black holes, which suck all nearby energy and matter into them.

Fictional Universe Books

• Engage your children in fictional stories related to the universe that will capture their imaginations. For children ages 5 and older, "Herman's Magical Universe," by Becky McCarley, follows a young boy who is on the quest to learn about the universe and how the world works. For children ages 8 and older, the classic, "The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet," by Eleanor Cameron, follows two boys, Chuck and David, who magically travel to another planet in a spaceship they built themselves, and the adventures they experience on the planet. It is the first in a series of books that follow Chuck and David's outer space adventures.