Space has many ways to kill you, but drowning doesn’t necessarily come to mind first. Luca Parmitano nearly died this way. Walking outside the International Space Station (ISS) to run some errands, Luca and his partner, Chris Cassidy, started fixing up the ISS. In the space suit is a straw that leads to a water canister to keep the astronauts hydrated as they work. Suddenly, as Luca was working, the inside of his helmet started fogging up. Not much later, he started to see blobs of water floating in his helmet. The water, they later found out, was coming from the canister. The water started building up, and soon engulfed Parmitano and he wasn’t able to breathe. Luckily, Cassidy escorted him back to the ISS and barely saved him.

Disaster Strikes is a book with many stories of jumbles in space. I made a summary of one of these stories. I really liked this book as it really expressed in detail of the hardships of conquering space. The author describes the emotions of the astronauts so you really feel how they reacted to these situations. I really liked how the book is set into many different stories. This omits boredom when you’re reading the exact same thing. It also feels nice when the storyline changes after a bit. I rate this book a 5 out of 5. ( )

Time magazine science editor Kluger recounts 12 of the "most dangerous space missions of all time." Some of the stories are quite funny, others are predictably heart-breaking; all are suspenseful. The author manages to make complex scientific concepts understandable even to this humanities-educated reader. The book ends on an upbeat, noting that risk and sacrifice are a part of the scientific method and that outer space is a hostile, yet beautifully exciting, place. This is narrative nonfiction at its finest. ( )

I love science and nonfiction, but, to be honest, I've never been interested in space exploration. However, lots of kids certainly are, and if one is invested in the CSLP summer 2019 theme (A Universe of Stories) all the space books are popular right now.

This chapter book details all the things that can - and did - go wrong on space missions from major, well-known disasters like the Challenger and Apollo 13 to disasters in the Russian space program and the astronaut who almost drowned - in outer space.

Each chapter is dedicated to a different mission and a different disaster. Kluger writes quick, breath-taking prose that includes the lead-up to the disaster, what went wrong, how the astronauts dealt with it, and the aftermath. When death results from the disaster, he writes respectfully and soberly, not giving graphic detail but reflecting on what went wrong and how astronauts are aware of the risks when they sign up.

Back matter includes an author's note, which details his sources, glossary, and index. Each chapter starts with a black and white photo.

Verdict: You'll need readers willing to pick up a book that's all text, although it's not at all dense, but strong readers, especially those who like historical disaster stories (I Survived, Lost, etc.) should be willing to dive into this book, especially as they can sample it chapter by chapter. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781984812759; Published May 2019 by Philomel; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library