Alt Text: Disturbing Science Books for Kids

By Lore Sjöberg


Former astronaut Mike Kelly — I like the phrase “former astronaut,” as if he decided that the astronaut game wasn’t for him and went into real estate instead — is writing a children’s book called Mousetronaut: A Partially True Story.

In it, he tells the tale of a mouse who supposedly enjoyed being in zero gravity, unlike all the other rodents in his cage who clung to the sides of it in pure, searing murine terror.

Ignoring the fact that a “mousetronaut” is technically someone who travels through a mouse, I’m happy that we’re finally seeing stories about lab animals that are at least partially true. Previous children’s favorites like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear have taken tremendous liberties with the truth. For instance, in Frisby the titular mouse wears a little cape, and in Monkey Shines, the murderous, jealous, mind-reading tufted capuchin makes noises that sound much more like a golden-bellied capuchin.

Let’s hope Mousetronaut is a tremendous success, if not for the children’s sake, then for me personally. I have a series of amusing and edifying children’s books about lab animals in the works.

For example:

Bravebunny, The Rabbit Who Was Probably Somewhat Less Terrified Than the Other Experimental Rabbits

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Control Group

Gaster, The Eyeless Fruit Fly


Are You My Mother, Or Just Chicken Wire Wrapped With Terrycloth?

The Special Amazing Friendship Club: Animals Who Were Launched Into Space and Left to Die

more
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/02/alt-text-science-books-kids/