George's Secret Key to the Universe

Title:   George's Secret Key to the Universe

Author:  Lucy & Stephen Hawking

Genre:  Science Fiction

Age:  8-12

Grade Level Equivalent:  3-7

Lexile Measure:  850

Summary:  A young boy, George, is stymied by his parents' lifestyle; they don't have a car, use candles instead of electricity, and generally eschew modern technology. They are firmly against science, as they believe it has led to the destruction of the planet. George unexpectedly meets his new neighbor, a physicist with a super computer that can actually take you into outer space. While embracing his newfound knowledge, George learns the hard way that science is fascinating, important, and not something to be taken lightly.

Review:  This book was co-authored by Lucy and Stephen Hawking, so as one would expect, it contains large amounts of scientific facts and material. The story is engaging, although somewhat stilted by attempting to include such a volume of factual information while weaving it into the plot. It does gain momentum as the book continues, and the story line keeps the reader interested.

I think this book would be appealing for any child, but particularly for those who are interested in space. The text contains a lot of ancillary material at the end with questions and answers from the authors, discussion questions, and strategies to take the book further in your classroom.