George's Secret Key to the Universe

Except for an unbelievably clunky and clumsy first 5-6 chapters (60+ pages), this book is pretty awesome in that it both introduces very interesting, mind-blowing science concepts (black holes, radiation out of black holes, and recapture of information from black holes) and also has a very fast-paced, page-turner adventure story (escaping from a black hole). However, I doubt that many people who are used to Harry Potter-style smoothness can manage to begin wading through the first 6 chapters (60+ pages), which are super-clunky, and still keep faith that there will be a good part of the book eventually. (I almost gave up and almost stopped reading altogether.) My advice is to either (1) keep faith or, even better, (2) skip the first 5 chapters completely (but suffer with chapter 6), and you won't miss a thing. If you really worry that you've missed something, you can go back and read chapters 1-5 after finishing the book. [See footnote at bottom of this review regarding why first 6 chapters are bad.]

Some other points worth noting are that (1) this story is of the formerly common type that feels the need to have an evil villain (who murders a main character, later resurrected) for storytelling convenience, even though good-vs-"pure evil" is not a theme in this book as it is in Harry Potter, and (2) the villain in this book is surprisingly scary, and is a teacher, which parents of very young kids might object to. I think the cavalier murder in this book is more scary than the murders in Harry Potter because in this book it just happens, and no one seems very outraged by it afterward (perhaps just because the victim was later resurrected?), and there is no punishment; it's as if murder were somehow ordinary and okay in this world, which I think is unsettling (perhaps inarticulably) to a child. Another point is that the last chapter seems clunky again and not true to actual children behavior (the student body cheers wildly at George's boring science lecture for no plausible reason), and is highly skippable for anyone who doesn't like the tone-deaf, moralizing aspects of the book.

To go beyond this book, if you like science wrapped in fiction for kids, you will LOVE "Clan Apis" ([[ASIN:096772550X Clan Apis]]) by Jay Hosler, which is the best science-wrapped-in-fiction book that I have ever read, and is beautiful for adults (it may make some cry, in a good way) and great for a child of any age; my boy loved it at age 2. For older kids and for adults, the classic "Mr. Thompkins In Paperback" by George Gamow is awesome, but don't bother with the "updated" version, "New Adventures of Mr. Thompkins" by Russell Stannard and the still-deceased George Gamow, because the updated version shovels boring lecture-mode verbosity into George Gamow's light and whimsical prose. Stannard's "Uncle Albert" series of books (e.g., [[ASIN:0571226140 Black Holes and Uncle Albert]]) is extremely good--in many ways better than this "George's Secret Key .." book by the Hawkings because the "Uncle Albert" books have better, more in-depth science. But this Hawkings' book has a more intense adventure and a slightly more mind-bending and rarely-mentioned (but superficially treated) science topic: recapture of information from a black hole. Of course, "The Magic Schoolbus" series and "The Magic Treehouse" series are good, too, for knowledge-wrapped-in-fiction. Please, fellow reviewers, tell us about other good knowledge-in-fiction stories, as did our fellow reviewer Sandhya when he mentioned "Sophie's World". Thanks.

[Footnote: The first 6 chapters (and the last chapter) of this "George's Secret Key ..." book are so bad that they almost seem to be written by a different set of authors as the rest of the book. In the first 6 chapters, instead of using science as part of the story, the book teaches science only via very boring LECTURE after LECTURE from the neighbor-girl's dad to the title character George. Also, in the first 6 chapters, there is some annoyingly heavy-handed and inelegant moralizing and social commentary. Also, there are just too many unnecessary details that don't move the story along in the first 6 chapters. The free excerpt on the Amazon site (i.e., the book's first 10 pages) give a hint of the over-verbosity of the first 60+ pages of the book. 10 whole pages into the Amazon excerpt, and nothing has happened except a pig is discovered missing, and we haven't left the house yet, and nothing will happen for many more pages! For just one example among many of over-detailedness, we can see that the authors spend many words on the pig, but the words on the pig are a big waste of time because the pig will cease to matter the second the boy goes next door! Further to the free excerpt on Amazon's page, I will in the "comments" section give another example passage that shows the clumsiness of the first 6 chapters. ]

Early on, a character says "Science is a wonderful and fascinating subject that helps us understand the world around us and all its marvels." Having the reader appreciate this is the point of this hardback, which has science factoids and full-color photos from space scattered throughout. Co-authors Stephen and Lucy Hawking are father and daughter; he is the brilliant theoretical physicist who wrote [[ASIN:0553380168 A Brief History of Time]].

This book should help make the topic of science interesting and accessible to middle school kids. Lively black and white cartoons illustrate every page spread. And though the first five chapters are snooze-worthy, once it gets going the story itself is intense and funny.

The adventure takes the reader to the far reaches of space and back, and along the way teaches a lot about science and how the world works, including Stephen Hawking's latest theories about black holes.

The story begins with the disappearance of George's (a young lad) pet pig, Freddy. Following the hoof-prints leads next door where George meets a scientist (Greg) and his young daughter (Annie). George has been raised in an "anti-technology" environment - his parents believe minds are wasted watching TV, and technology has been used too often to harm the environment. Greg, however, is an understanding adult and patiently explains various basic scientific facts (births and death of stars, shooting stars, basic atomic structure, comet tails, etc.), and introduces George to Cosmos - the world's most powerful computer (according to Cosmos, a computer that speaks and has an attitude).

George has always wanted a computer, and has been saving his money - only eight more years and he'll be able to get a used one! Cosmos, however, is no ordinary computer - not only does it speak, but it can transport approved users anywhere in space and time. Using one of Greg's extra space suits, George experiences space travel after first becoming an approved user (thanks to Greg) and taking the Oath of a Scientist - to use scientific knowledge only for good.

Unfortunately, Greg has to get back home, and then it's school the next day. As soon as possible he returns, goes on another adventure, and barely escapes a large, very dark area - thanks to Greg pushing him back to a computer portal that leads back to the house. The dark area, unfortunately, is a black hole - from which nothing ever escapes.

The good news is that George finds the new book that Greg tells him he needs, with the latest information on black holes. There, courtesy of some simplified notes Greg had written for Annie and George, he learns that black holes slowly disintegrate through Hawking radiation that also emits anything captured in the hole.

After the book is input to Cosmos, the computer arranges to fast forward billion of years, reconstruct Greg, and bring him back home. George then tells his story of the wonders of science and physics at a school science program and wins the new computer he so wanted.

This book, written by the Hawkings, is a wonderful way to promote a love and appreciation for real science. Each of the three books in this series focus on a particular subject within the overarching Science branch of Physics.

The premise is that an elementary school aged boy, George, has a scientist and his family move in next door. The scientist, Eric, has a daughter, Annie, who is a little younger than George, and a wife, Susan who is a music teacher. George has parents that are Ecoactivists and have taught George to distrust Science and Technology. They use candles rather than electric lights, grow their own vegetables, are vegetarians who cook all their food from scratch (like broccoli and spinach muffins), don't use computers at all, and go on protest marches. At the beginning of the story George is embarrassed somewhat by his parents because he is made different from the other children at school because of them. Then George meets Annie and her father next door. Eric shows George that Science is amazing and not something to fear. He also teaches George that Scientists are concerned about the state of the planet (and working to help the situation) and that he admires George's parents for taking a stand. George's parents eventually learn to accept Science and it's possible benefit to the planet and humanity for their part.

In order to accomplish all this realization on the part of all the characters in the story, the authors weave an amusing sci-fi plot complete with the world's most powerful computer (a quantum one) named Cosmos able to create doorways into just about anywhere in the Universe. The children ride a comet around the solar system and Eric gets in trouble coming across the universe's most powerful object. George's teacher is actually an evil scientist out to get Eric and steal Cosmos and George also faces school bullies.

The book is interspersed with science essays that could be a bit over the head of younger elementary students and even sometimes older ones. They will be interesting for more advanced students however. It also includes many full color glossy photos from the Hubble. Science facts about the solar system and other cosmic objects are woven into the plot. Also incorporated into the plot is an understanding of how real science actually works and how scientists work together to accomplish it.

My 5th grade students loved this series as a read-aloud. My own children, 5 and 8, love this series as well. I highly recommend the series to parents and teachers. Every elementary school library should have a copy of these. Also, the audiobook versions of these are very well done, although they take out all the science essays. They are dramatized with fun sound effects and voice acting.

I bought this book for my grandson, who is now in middle school. After it arrived and before I wrapped it, I glanced through it. What an awakening! Here in clear language, are the major theories of astro-physics. Do you know why Mars is red? I did not. Do you have even a rudimentary understanding of black holes? I did not and did not realize that certain types of radiation can escape them.

Buy this book for your middle school child/grandchild, but take the time to read it with them and talk with them about it. You will learn a great deal. Read it to your kid in elementary school. It will be a time of bonding as well as a time of mutual growth. Yes, not only can we learn from our children, we can learn together with them. Stephen Hawking and his daughter have done a great thing.

My 3.5 year old son is completely hooked on this fabulous book! We're plowing through it in just a few nights and he doesn't want it to end. I was floored when after the first night of my husband reading it to him he ran up to me excitedly the next morning and said "Mama, I know how stars are birthed, wanna hear about it?" And proceeded to give me a very sweet and stunningly accurate lecture on the topic!
I wish there were more books like this out there -- smart, not sassy and rude, fun loving, and adventurous!

I've been so impressed by this book, that it inspired me to write this, my first Amazon review!

Here's the thing. I have a son who is almost seven who happens to be obsessed with Stephen Hawking. I know. He sticks out in a crowd. After watching Errol Morris's documentary of Hawking (great, by the way) my son asked me to look the man up on the internet so that he can start firing off questions to him about the origin of the universe, the birth of stars, you name it. Apparently at his young age, he has already figured out that mom doesn't always know all the answers! We found his website with a link to "George's Secret Key To The Universe" on it and I made a deal with my son that after we read that book, if he still had questions, he could write Stephen Hawking a letter. I don't know if the man has ever recieved a fan letter from a first grader, but there is a first time for everything, right?

We have been reading the book practically every moment that we have time for the past several days and my son loves it! This is a great introductory book - but it is also great for kids with some background knowledge about blackholes, elementary particles, and the like. The story that goes along with all of the science is just right for my kiddo's maturity level and the science allows him to stretch a bit further and go off on rabbit trails at the library to do more research. All in all, a great book for any kid - but especially for science-obsessed gifted boys!

We are almost finished and are hoping that Stephen and Lucy are working on another adventure for George - my son is requesting one to explore inner-space next. Let's see George in the land of quarks and weak bosons (my son's new silly insult: you weak boson!).

Loved it!
Melisa

My six year old son read this book every night before bed (with my help) with an enthusiasm that he's never had for any other book. I was actually looking forward to each new chapter myself. Having read A Brief History and several other similar books, I thought this book did an amazing job at explaining the mechanics of black holes and the formation of the universe to young minds. (...and in a very fun way!) This is a "can't go wrong" for young readers.

We originally saw this book on the TODAY show when Al Roker suggested it as a good book for a Christmas gift. Our 8-year-old grandson is interested in so many things, we thought this would be perfect for him... and according to him, "it's great!" As a young reader, it has continued to keep his interest 4 months later!!

This is one of those rare books that does a good job of combining fun and learning. It has all the ingredients of a typical children's story. The main character George is a misfit in school because his eco-friendly parents have no clue or don't care that the absence of a computer and tv at home spells social suicide among his peers. But friendly neighbors rescue George from school bullies and introduce him to the wonders of the universe while awakening his curiosity in physics and astronomy. I couldn't wait to find out what happens next and also appreciated the scientific facts included in alot of the pages which were quite accessible to non-science geeks.