Book: SUPERMAN’S GUIDE…

There are many things that we don't know about the world we live in, and the mysteries get deeper when we move outside our planet Earth. In Jackie Gaff's Superman's Guide to the Universe, the Man of Steel takes you on a journey of the Solar System where he reveals the mysteries of the planets as well as those beyond. The writer chooses Superman as the guide because he is an alien himself, being from the lost planet of Krypton who was raised on Earth. On the one hand, the writer makes the readers relate to Superman while, on the other, he showers all essential knowledge of the Solar System and beyond through Superman, helping young readers like you gain knowledge in simple language. All nine planets of the Solar System along with their star 'the Sun' and their countless moons are discussed in detail in this guide. You get to know that Mercury has the longest day, but the shortest year, while Venus is the hottest place in the Solar System despite not being closest to the sun. Mars, the red planet, may have been blessed with the presence of water once; Jupiter is more than twice the size of all planets combined; Saturn has a story behind its rings while Uranus rotates on its side, unlike the rest of the planets. With speed up to 2,000 kilometres per hour, Neptune's winds are four times more speedy than earth's worst tornado, while Pluto is the coolest planet of the Solar System with temperature as low as –225 degrees centigrade. The history of Superman is also told in the sidebars of this book. How he came to Earth, what was his original name, how did he acclimatise to the atmosphere of the new planet and what makes and keeps him stronger at all time. Answers to the mystery behind Superman's emblem, his ability to fly as well as the secret of how he deflects bullets are available in the book, but they don't distract you from the main subject, that is the Solar System. If you think you know all there is to know about the Solar System, think again. This book also tells you about the Milky Way, asteroids, Black Holes and the Moon. The glossary on the penultimate page is interesting as well since its lists the technical terms related to the Solar System. The flight throughout the universe is lengthy, so take a deep breath before you fasten your seat belt, and go up, up and away! — Seema Faruqi