Disaster Strikes!

The Most Dangerous Space Missions of All Time

By Jeffrey Kluger | Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

About the book

Twelve thrilling and terrifying space-mission failures, told by the bestselling author of Apollo 13!

There are so many amazing, daring, and exciting missions to outer space that have succeeded. But for every success, there are mistakes, surprises, and flat-out failures that happen along the way. In this collection, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jeffrey Kluger recounts twelve such disasters, telling the stories of the astronauts and the cosmonauts, the trials and the errors, the missions and the misses.

With stories of missions run by both Americans and Russians during the height of the space race, complete with photos of the people and machines behind them, this book delves into the mishaps and the tragedies, small and large, that led humankind to the moon and beyond.

Praise for Disaster Strikes!:

* \"A thrill ride punctuated with spectacular failures--but also spectacular successes.\" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* \"The [is] text versatile, efficiently functioning as a collection of short reads or a balanced, book-length narrative . . . Always fascinating, at times unsettling, and highly recommended for elementary and middle school collections.\" --SLJ, starred review

\"Each compelling episode is crafted as a self-standing adventure, with an opening hook and a satisfying close, making this an excellent source for readalouds for middle-school classes as well as a pleasure for independent readers.\" --BCCB

\"Kluger manages to combine suspenseful storytelling with scientific writing, showcasing the successes of the programs alongside the failures that ended in death or near misses for astronauts. Even students who claim that they don’t like to read will find these 'you-are-there' moments totally engaging.\" --SLC

Editions of Disaster Strikes!

Hardcover
ISBN 9781984812759
Paperback
ISBN 9781984812773
EBook
ISBN 9781984812766

Read an Excerpt

Twelve thrilling and terrifying space-mission failures, told by the bestselling author of Apollo 13!

There are so many amazing, daring, and exciting missions to outer space that have succeeded. But for every success, there are mistakes, surprises, and flat-out failures that happen along the way. In this collection, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jeffrey Kluger recounts twelve such disasters, telling the stories of the astronauts and the cosmonauts, the trials and the errors, the missions and the misses.

With stories of missions run by both Americans and Russians during the height of the space race, complete with photos of the people and machines behind them, this book delves into the mishaps and the tragedies, small and large, that led humankind to the moon and beyond.

Praise for Disaster Strikes!:

* \"A thrill ride punctuated with spectacular failures--but also spectacular successes.\" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* \"The [is] text versatile, efficiently functioning as a collection of short reads or a balanced, book-length narrative . . . Always fascinating, at times unsettling, and highly recommended for elementary and middle school collections.\" --SLJ, starred review

\"Each compelling episode is crafted as a self-standing adventure, with an opening hook and a satisfying close, making this an excellent source for readalouds for middle-school classes as well as a pleasure for independent readers.\" --BCCB

\"Kluger manages to combine suspenseful storytelling with scientific writing, showcasing the successes of the programs alongside the failures that ended in death or near misses for astronauts. Even students who claim that they don’t like to read will find these 'you-are-there' moments totally engaging.\" --SLC

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Disaster Strikes! about?

Twelve thrilling and terrifying space-mission failures, told by the bestselling author of Apollo 13!

There are so many amazing, daring, and exciting missions to outer space that have succeeded. But for every success, there are mistakes, surprises, and flat-out failures that happen along the way. In this collection, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jeffrey Kluger recounts twelve such disasters, telling the stories of the astronauts and the cosmonauts, the trials and the errors, the missions and the misses.

With stories of missions run by both Americans and Russians during the height of the space race, complete with photos of the people and machines behind them, this book delves into the mishaps and the tragedies, small and large, that led humankind to the moon and beyond.

Praise for Disaster Strikes!:

* \"A thrill ride punctuated with spectacular failures--but also spectacular successes.\" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* \"The [is] text versatile, efficiently functioning as a collection of short reads or a balanced, book-length narrative . . . Always fascinating, at times unsettling, and highly recommended for elementary and middle school collections.\" --SLJ, starred review

\"Each compelling episode is crafted as a self-standing adventure, with an opening hook and a satisfying close, making this an excellent source for readalouds for middle-school classes as well as a pleasure for independent readers.\" --BCCB

\"Kluger manages to combine suspenseful storytelling with scientific writing, showcasing the successes of the programs alongside the failures that ended in death or near misses for astronauts. Even students who claim that they don’t like to read will find these 'you-are-there' moments totally engaging.\" --SLC

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Disaster Strikes!?

Children’s, Teenage and Educational > Educational material > Educational: Mathematics, science and technology, general > Educational: Technology

Where can I read a sample of Disaster Strikes!?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781984812759

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Disaster Strikes!?

Jeffrey Kluger

Who is the Publisher of the book Disaster Strikes!?

Penguin Young Readers Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Disaster Strikes! is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781984812759) and paperback(ISBN 9781984812773) and ebook(ISBN 9781984812766)

Where can I buy Disaster Strikes! online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Disaster Strikes! from below

Where can I buy Disaster Strikes!?