Is There Anybody Out There? Interplanetary Questions for Intelligent Earthlings

“What if the main trait shared by all intelligent lives in the Universe was a particularly enthusiastic passion for questions?” asks Duthie in this intriguing volume—poised as the first scientifically verified extraterrestrial message received Earth-side—that explores fundamental philosophical concepts. The book, an archly written introduction states, was found in a donut-shaped spacecraft one year back on a Spanish beach, and subsequent pages hypothesize that it was created by the inhabitants of the planet Biopia, who have been studying Earthlings for “at least three terrestrial centuries.” The following pages present 14 themed queries covering topics that encompass human experiences, each including ample follow-up questions. (In the section “How Do You Humans Get Along?” readers are asked to consider, “Is there anything you could never ever forgive?”) Bold, poster-style graphics by Studio Patten anchor each theme—questions about language, for example, float around a curling green megaphone. It’s a combination of existential inquiry and striking visuals that seems tailor-made for young minds beginning to grapple with big ideas. Ages 8–up. (May)