Astronaut Handbook

05.19.2017
FOR THE WEEKEND, share this STEM title with your child. 
 
Astronaut Handbook is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Author Meghan McCarthy takes young readers to astronaut school in Astronaut Handbook. Your reader, no matter their interests, can find a spot in outer space. Whether you like biology or engineering or flying planes or deep sea diving, there are jobs of all kinds that need doing. But before you get to space, you must train very hard – fitness tests, survival training, teamwork and lots of studying will prepare you for your journey. McCarthy does a fantastic job conveying difficult concepts and ideas using easy to understand text and images which will spark your child’s imaginations and get them excited about blasting off!

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Summarize:
Astronaut Handbook is a great book to practice summarizing. As you read, make a point to ask questions and answer any questions your child might have. Engaging your child while reading will help them be able to better summarize the text afterward. Once you’ve finished, let your child hold the book and flip through the pages as they tell you about the different jobs that astronauts do, they ways they train, and all the preparation for their trip to space.

Do this with your child:

After you read Astronaut Handbook you and your reader can check out the NASA Kids’ Club here. The site is filled with fun games and activities to check out with your space explorer.

If you’re interested in sharing Astronaut Handbook with your child you can find it from Penguin Random House here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter & Instagram for more inspiration.

Click here to learn more about Raising a Reader and the work we do to promote early literacy and family engagement. 
 
Stay connected with us on FacebookTwitterInstagram and Pinterest.

Related Posts

10.30.2025 News

Affiliate Spotlight: Maria L. Varisco-Rogers Charter School

How One School Strengthened Family Engagement—and Literacy Skills—with Raising a Reader At Maria L. Varisco-Rogers Charter School in Newark, New Jersey, family engagement and literacy are at the heart of student success. Serving a diverse community, the school sought a proven, turnkey program that would strengthen reading at home while supporting classroom learning. They chose Raising a Reader to help every family become an ...

Read More
09.29.2025 From the CEO

Family Engagement is Critical for Success

At Raising a Reader, we’ve always believed that family engagement is the cornerstone of children’s literacy and learning. Families are children’s first and most important teachers—long before they ever enter a classroom. Research continues to validate what we see every day: when parents and caregivers are empowered to share books and read together, ask questions, and engage in joyful conversations, ...

Read More