George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt (George's Secret Key)

This is the second book in the Hawkings' George series. Once again their offering was a big hit with both my 5th grade students and my own children, 5 and 8. This book centers on the question of the possibilities of life elsewhere in the universe. George's next door neighbors move to Florida at the beginning of the book so that Eric, the scientist father, can oversee a Mars rover landing. This of course upsets George, but before long he gets an email from Annie telling him he has to find a way to visit her in Florida for a top secret mission. George's Grandma comes to his rescue with money for plane tickets to Florida for him and her as a chaperone, as well as money for George's parents to go visit an island slowly being affected by rising seas due to global warming. Once George gets there he finds that Annie has found a secret message demanding she go to Mars or the Earth will be destroyed. He also meets Emmett, a computer genius child, staying with Annie's family. Emmett and Annie don't get along at the beginning of the book and Emmett is portrayed as a stereotypical whiny computer geek. However, Annie soon learns to respect Emmett and they all go off on an adventure across the Galaxy using Cosmos the supercomputer (helpfully restored to functionality by Emmett). They believe an alien race must have sent the message. They end up finding a series of clues which lead them ever farther away from Earth and our solar system. In this book George and Annie learn that geeky supposedly annoying people are actually pleasant, fun, and helpful once you learn to treat them respectfully. Yes that lesson was rather cardboard-cutoutish... More importantly they learn about all the scientific issues around the search for extraterrestrial life. Eric, the scientist, also manages to come to the rescue of George's eco-activist parents and provides this particular book's treatment of one of the series's recurring morals, that scientists can help people who are concerned about the environment. Science is not bad for the environment. That particular message seems to be one the Hawkings really want to hammer home. Finally, there are good messages about forgiveness and the wrongness of jumping to conclusions about people without sufficient evidence. The book's story is interspersed with essays about various aspects of the scientific question of extraterrestrial life and space exploration in general. Once again there are full color Hubble pictures. Some of the science essays are once again over the heads of many elementary school students although it is obvious the essay writers were attempting to be easy to understand and interesting. The plot holds the attention of elementary school children very well and is quite exciting to them. As an adult, however, it is easy to spot many unduly contrived devices. For instance, the idea that an elementary school aged child could fix and reprogram a quantum computer which could not be fixed by Eric, one of the adult scientists who actually created it, beggers belief. There is also an issue with Cosmos which comes up that somehow stops him from being able to teleport the children back to Earth, but conveniently lets him teleport them ever further away from Earth. This, of course, makes no sense from an adult reader's point of view, but children accept this fact without fuss. The real worth of this book is not the plot, though. It is all the science information the book manages to pack into the story. Children will learn a lot about a truly scientific outlook on the issue of extraterrestrial life. They will also pick up many space facts. Children reading this book, or hearing it read to them, will enjoy learning all the science. Adults sharing the book with children will enjoy the book simply due to the science content they know their children or students are picking up. I am unaware of another series of fiction books for this age group that does the job of science education as well as this series.

To save the universe, at least Earth, Annie and George must get to Mars, but Cosmo's the super computer isn't working, thus the two can't even get to the moon. "George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt" is another well written story for those who enjoy intelligent young adult stories with interesting facts about Venus and Mars. Both these planets have water, the main ingredient for all life, yet Mars and Venus are not in the Goldilocks Zone. The Goldilocks Zone is a term many scientist use to describe Earth's atmosphere, I learned that from reading this book. Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the baby's things are all 'just right,' hence, Earth, it's the only known planet in the Goldilocks Zone, like the baby's porridge, not too hot, not too cold. Venus has temperatures up to 878 degrees, a bit hot for us humans, and the water on Venus is dried up. There are way to many facts about or neighboring planets pointed out in this book to list. This book along with the other two books featuring the cool kids, George and Annie are books well worth keeping and reading several more times.

This series of books is outstanding (series includes George and the Big Bang and George's Secret Key to the Universe), it delivers the thrill of science as fun and exciting. It is imaginative, yet factual at the same time. This is an outstanding read for both girls and boys and a great introduction to encourage the pursuit of science and to lose the fear of thinking differently. My daughter absolutely loved these books and was intrigued by both the adventures and the facts regarding science and the universe. These books encourage children to think, philosophically and to challenge the norm. I highly recommend all three books.

Kids read the first book in school and begged for the second. The books in this series are engaging and entertaining. My kids stayed up late reading this book.

Although this book was "new" its spine was damaged most likely in transport. It looked as if it had been dropped, causing the top spine corner to be dented and slightly torn this book is for use in my classroom so I like them to start off in the best condition possible so they can be borrowed and loved over and over again

My son is four and reading on a 2nd grade level which I'm attempting to improve by getting him interested in more complex books. This series was an amazing teaching tool for us as it encourage him to take an interest in space as well as providing subtle ideas on things that hinder and help the environment. When it comes to bedtime he can't wait to finish reading one of his stories to me so that it's my turn to read to him and we can move right along in George's adventure. I would suggest this to anyone seeking to further a child's interest in reading and eduation. It's great with the set but can stand alone as well.

Great book! I bought the series of three books along with the CDs to give to my grandson on his ninth birthday. In the meantime, I listened to the CDs on my way to work and just loved them. Stephen Hawkings along with his daughter Lucy, and Garry Parsons did a wonderful job of writing a story that was very entertaining while teaching me more about this interesting universe of ours. These books are for all ages!

I took my son to The Space Show at the Museum of Natural History several times which he loved so much. I thought I can gradually add more information about space to our daily routine and being a huge fan of Stephen Hawking I found this cook which he co-wrote with his beloved daughter, Lucy. We read the book together every night, it has almost 300 pages and not only did we enjoy doing this together but also learned so much about space through the narrative, a more useful way to remember facts for 6 year olds than reading off an educational book. While we read it we changed the names of all the characters to us and people we know in real life. Amazing weeknights for the entire week.

言わずと知れたホーキング博士とその娘さんのルーシー・ホーキングによる児童書シリーズ第２弾です。第１弾George's Secret Key to the Universeの続編となっています。 今回は、前作の主人公ジョージ、隣の女の子アニー、アニーの父で科学者のエリックはもちろん、天才少年エメットも登場し、舞台は英国からフロリダへ。 アニーがスーパーコンピュータのコスモスを通じて「エイリアンからのメッセージ」を受け取ったことから、アニーとジョージを中心に謎解きと冒険が始まります。 文字はなく絵だけで示されたそのメッセージを解読しながら、二人の子供たちはメッセージの指示に従って次々に移動。それこそ本書のタイトル通り「宇宙の宝探し」の旅に出ます。 子供たちの冒険にしたがって登場する様々な惑星、衛星などについてはコラムを設けて丁寧に解説がしてあるので、太陽系の星ぼし等について勉強することができます。 また、今回は、アニーの父エリックが同僚たちに頼んで子供用に各自の専門・関心についてちょっと書いてもらい、それを冊子にまとめた、という設定で、 The User's Guide to the Universeというコーナーが８か所設けられています。この箇所では、宇宙マイクロ波背景放射や赤方偏移、地球外文明探索計画や生命の起源など、 さまざまな最新の宇宙論に関する解説を読むことができます。このコーナーは、ホーキングだけでなく、色々な大学やSETIなどに所属する研究者が執筆しており、 子供向けにわかりやすく書かれた、しっかりした本格的な説明が載っています。「生命の起源は火星かも？」など、おもしろい論も紹介されています。 楽しく読めた第１弾以上に今回の２作目は、「エイリアンからのメッセージ」を追っていくという設定もあってワクワクしながら読める面白さ。 ファンタジーっぽさも加えた物語の中にも科学的事実を織り込んでいるので、物語が少々説明的になる箇所もありますが、それでもどんどんページを繰りたくなる楽しさでした。 前作ではやんわりと言及されるだけだったエリックの昔の物語も語られるほか、スター・トレックシリーズでよく出るセリフがさり気なく挟みこまれているなどニヤリとさせる箇所も満載。 また、コラムだけではなくThe User's Guide to the Universeコーナーも入ったことによって、前作以上に最新の宇宙論に関する解説も増えているので、 楽しくストーリーを追いながらも非常に勉強になる本です。ところどころに見事なカラー写真も含まれており、挿絵も多く入っています。楽しくてためになる、年齢に関係なくおすすめの一冊。 英語は「児童書」として考えるイメージよりは平易ではないかもしれませんが、字がとにかく大きいし、もちろん難解な文もありません。

SAFE READING - NO SPOILERS - hardcover edition I have always had an overt admiration for Stephen Hawking having read some of his early work with Robin Penrose; they had such imaginatively scientific ideas. "Over the past thirty years, Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose have done more than anyone to further our understanding of the nature of gravitation and cosmology."--John Barrow, New Scientist (I am still puzzled by the lack of a knighthood for Professor Hawking.) The book, their first, was co-written in 2007 with his journalist daughter, Lucy, a former PhD research student, Christophe Galfard, and illustrated by Garry Parsons. I bought it for my grandsons - three and one. I like to start early if there actually is an "early"! (The three year-old has already been to the Science and Natural History Museums twice. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful places to visit freely.) Set in the context of a children's story with George, the science is covertly between and on the lines of the story; every so often, it appears overtly in special "grey sections" to distinguish them from the story itself in which scientific facts are given about, e.g. Jupiter, Comets, Matter, Exoplanets and so on. There are also four lengthy colour sections with plates of planets,rockets and other fascinating subjects. Throughout, the narrative is illustrated by b/w drawings of the stories events and characters. Particularly interesting and enjoyable new features of this book (not in the previous one) are the eight sections on "The Latest Scientific Theories!" written by a wide range of eminent scientists, each ending in a simple first name, e.g. "Is There Anybody Out There?", Lord Rees, President of the Royal Society, Trinity College, University of Cambridge,signed "Martin". (Having recently attended one of his fascinating lectures, I can attest that his section, like the others, is worth reading. "Will some readers of this book walk on Mars? I hope so - indeed I think it is very likely that they will." [P 200]) These eight sections are printed on grey paper but they content is certainly not grey. Learning, when it is enjoyable, happens without the painful cramming many seem to think it should be; engendering the ability to enjoy learning cannot be started too early, especially with enquiring minds. These books fit the bill very well. I always read (non-classic) books bought for the grandchildren first and I have enjoyed reading this. It is typical of this enjoyable series by the father and daughter pair who have seen a niche and gap on the bookshelves. AUDIOBOOK - Having waited impatiently for the audiobook, it has now arrived; the unabridged text is thoughtfully and sensitively read by James Goode and the "grey pages", i.e. the scientific information, by Lucy Hawking. I enjoy having control over my in-car listening and I studiously avoid - as much as possible - abridged CD versions of any book. Buying for the grandchildren is a great excuse to listen first and I have no doubt the well-travelled grandchildren will enjoy it as much as I have - when they are just a little older. The CDs even look exciting, dark blue with large, silver, curved lettering. (Unfortunately, the five CD set is in the usual, three-sectioned, brittle and "explosive" plastic box which splinters and breaks almost as soon as it is picked up and opened. The first time it was opened, the top section parted company with the rest, the others followed soon afterwards and I am far from ham-fisted. It is a brilliantly conceived design produced in a plastic which does not match its original innovative design quality. I much prefer the solid cardboard containers with single paper sleeves for each CD; I have boxed sets with around ten CDs and they are usually thinner and a pleasure to use.) HOWEVER, this is not a reflection on the written and spoken quality of this CD, both of which are excellent. Recommended. Now what is their next book? Oh, yes, something about black-holes or was it the big-bang theory? I wonder if Amazon ...

Good story and my 9 year old son has retold "all" the facts to us others in the family. He has loved all Georges books by Hawking.

Georges et les secrets de l'univers était plus "tous publics". Georges et des trésors du cosmos fait + bébé, l'histoire (et en particulier, le "méchant") est moins convainquante. Cela reste tout de même un excellent livre de vulgarisation scientifique. Je le conseillerais surtout aux plus jeunes.

Excellent