What happens when two massive hunks of hurtling space debris slam into each other? Welcome to round one in the Cosmic Collisions series—an exciting children’s debut from an expert astrophysicist.

There’s a comet speeding in from the outer solar system, and it’s about to slam into an asteroid. Who will be left standing after this interplanetary smackdown? The pockmarked asteroid, a veteran fighter who’s already seen some action? Or the dazzling comet, with its incredible velocity and a tail that stretches millions of miles? Kicking off a dynamic series on cosmic collisions, Asteroid vs. Comet starts by comparing the two opponents, then offers hints and context to encourage readers to use real science to form a hypothesis. Action-packed full-color illustrations with a graphic, comic-book feel will attract reluctant readers and kids who love smash-and-crash along with budding scientists. Curious readers can find back matter addressing the question of fact versus fiction, how to become a citizen scientist, and comets and asteroids in the news.

Two massive stars face off, ready to tussle! Who will prevail? Readers get the stats from an expert astrophysicist and make their predictions before the final exciting KA-PLOOSH!

It’s time for the next round of outer-space, crash-and-smash fun, and this matchup is colossal! Two red supergiants are facing each other, ready for a scuffle. Each cranks out 100,000 times as much power as the Sun. (Don’t get too close or you’ll roast like a weenie in a campfire.) These mighty stars are equally matched, so either could come out on top—but hold on! One of the contenders has just exploded! And it’s left behind a neutron star with supernova energy. Now who will be left standing after this interstellar smackdown? It’s another collision of cosmic proportions in this fast-paced, fact-packed series, crammed with science, peppy illustrations, and the infectious energy of a live sporting event. Back matter provides even more info for curious fans.