The Goldilocks Zone: Real Facts About Outer Space

Goldilocks, a blond-haired, light-skinned child, guides readers on an energetic planet-hopping journey in newspaper cartoonist Sheneman’s nonfiction picture book explaining Earth’s position in the solar system, which “isn’t too hot or too cold for life to thrive.” As facts are conveyed in a conversational tone (“Of all the planets other than Earth, Mars would be the most livable for humans”), Goldilocks and her anthropomorphic ursine companion—the bear whose house she broke into—add humorous asides in comic book–style speech bubbles: “That’s not going to fit in my carry-on,” the spacesuit-wearing bear concludes about items needed to sustain life on Mars. Realistic details, such as Saturn’s icy rings, are juxtaposed with fine-lined cartoon characters against richly colored spreads in this engaging primer on the solar system. Front matter includes an author’s note; back matter includes a spread of Planet Facts. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)