Looking for a space or science book that’ll actually get handed back to you with “read it again”? Here are 9 of the best space and UFO books for 8–12 year olds — a mix of true-story nonfiction, hard science, and a couple of just-for-fun picks.
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National Geographic Kids Space Encyclopedia: A Tour of Our Solar System and Beyond — the gold-standard reference. Huge, photo-rich, endlessly re-readable.
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13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar — great for the kid who wants the science to actually be current and correct.
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DK Space!: The Definitive Visual Guide — DK’s classic big-format visual approach, good for browsers and reluctant readers alike.
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The Magic School Bus Presents: Space — if your kid grew up on the show, this nonfiction spinoff is an easy on-ramp.
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Basher Science: Astronomy — Out of This World! by Dan Green & Simon Basher — cartoon characters explain real astronomy; genuinely funny and sticky for this age group.
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Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly — the true story of the Black women mathematicians behind NASA’s early space missions. Space history, not just space science.
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Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson — a picture-book biography of Carl Sagan that older kids still enjoy for the “why do we look up at all” angle.
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A NASA robotic-exploration title (e.g. a current Alien Worlds and Robot Explorers-style pick) — swap in whichever current title your library or bookstore stocks; the category (robotic exploration of the solar system) reliably performs well with this age group.
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Wait… UFOs are a thing now?! — for the kid who wants true stories, not just facts. Most space books teach kids about planets and rockets. This one is different: it takes four real, documented UFO cases — Roswell, the 2004 Navy “Tic Tac” encounter, Rendlesham Forest, and the first-ever “flying saucer” sighting — and explains what actually happened, using declassified records, in a way an 8-12 year old can follow without getting scared or misled. It’s the pick for kids who’ve already read the planet books and want something with a bit more mystery. Check it out on Amazon →
If your kid is the type who asks “but is it real?” about everything — this list is for them.
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