Space made fun

George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt by Lucy and Stephen Hawking. Photo / Supplied

A couple of thousand light years ago (well, perhaps 18 months or so) I became intrigued by how entranced my children were with their nightly readings of George's Secret Key to the Universe, the space adventure written by Lucy Hawking in collaboration with her famous father, the theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.

When I saw the sequel, George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, I decided to get in on the excitement and read it with the boys myself.

Prior knowledge of the first book is not a requisite, as it stands alone quite easily, with explanations, where necessary, of earlier events.

The introduction had us captivated.

George is actually in the pilot's seat of a space shuttle as it prepares for launching.

Not unbelievable, for George fans. But it turns out to be a dream â€" later cleverly tied into the storyline.

The real tale begins with our young hero invited to a fancy dress party at neighbour Eric's house (Eric being the world's greatest living scientist and inventor of super-computer Cosmos as well as the father of George's friend and fellow adventurer, Annie).

From there the story takes us from England to Florida.

Next stop, Mars and beyond.

As well as solving the mystery of who or what is sending the extraterrestrial messages received by Cosmos, the aim of the work is to introduce young readers to the wonders of the universe and the importance of science.

Explanations are woven into the story in just the right places, sometimes as fact sheets (for example, about Venus), sometimes as chapters of the "book" Eric has written for George and Annie, "The User's Guide to the Universe". The illustrations by Garry Parsons are well done and add to the enjoyment of the adventure, especially for those who require a picture on every page. Interspersed through the pages are sections of colour photographs.

The fact sheets are interesting, although sometimes complicated - just try getting your head around the explanation for the Drake Equation (N= N* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc x L) and towards the end, as the excitement builds, they are, admittedly, easy to skip over. Learning about satellites in space will have to wait for another day.

George and Annie - and new friend Emmett - take us on a journey of cosmic discovery and also one of human relationships.

The importance of friendships and of sharing knowledge for the greater good are underlying themes, as is the importance of scientists and eco-warriors working together to save the planet.

The verdict? For those who think science is a bore, think again. I was even inspired to go back and read the first of the series, and now look forward, with the boys, to the third book, which the authors' website promises will be published next year.

George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt
by Lucy and Stephen Hawking (Doubleday $34.99)

* Sue Baxalle is the sub-editor of Canvas.