Space: The Final Pooping Frontier
by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White; illus. by Lars Kenseth
Primary, Intermediate    Godwin/Holt    40 pp.
7/24    9781250222886    $19.99
e-book ed.  9781250386663    $11.99

The words “go boldly” are boldly recontextualized in this newest addition to the ever-growing collection of poop-focused nonfiction titles for kids. This truncated history of American space exploration specifically focuses on the challenges (both new and old) of defecating in zero gravity, along with the argument that the easier it is for astronauts to poop, the healthier and more comfortable (and effective) they will be. Real-life ­complications such as limited privacy, adhesive poop bags, and frozen storage tanks (which caused frozen feces to “come back up the tubes”) are delivered through a combination of conversational text and irreverent cartoon imagery. Innovations, largely fueled by the Apollo program’s need for astronauts to spend extended periods of time in space, eventually led to the invention of the game-changing space toilet (depicted in diagram form). Looking toward the future, NASA’s 2016 Space Poop Challenge sought out inventors with designs for “a better way to poop in space.” A doctor from Texas won first prize, although the book refrains from describing how the wearable device (composed of tubes, bags, and screw-on caps) ­functions. Recurring caption boxes provide supplementary facts, including launch dates, mission objectives, and the number of bathrooms per spacecraft. The colorful illustrations effectively shift between playful and expository, ­mimicking the tone-shifts in the text while handling the potentially unsavory subject matter with relative discretion. Back matter includes sources along with “More Poop Fun Facts (and Beyond!).”

From the "September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.