- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–11
- Science
Cosmo Park
A frenetic, funny graphic-novel introduction to cosmology, where a hover-buggy tour of the Universal Nature Park teaches black holes, relativity and the end of the universe, with a nefarious plot to foil along the way.
- Best for7–11
- FormatGraphic
- Length136 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr5 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Welcome to Cosmo Park, the Universal Nature Park, where you can hop on a hover-buggy and ride around the whole galactic neighbourhood. Join Kara and her feline companion Sandro as they zoom to the centre of the Milky Way, watch tricksy black holes trying to escape their enclosures, dodge a meteorite storm and wrap up warm for the freezing far future of the universe. But there are mysterious and nefarious plots afoot, and it turns out it isn't all fun and learning when the whole universe is at stake. Madeleine Finlay makes her graphic-novel debut with a story packed with real science, gravity, planet formation, relativity, the possibility of alien life and the ultimate fate of the cosmos, all wrapped inside a genuinely exciting and very funny adventure. Tom Dearie's bold, bright, densely packed cartooning turns big ideas into visual jokes and makes hard concepts click. Perfect for curious 7-11 readers, fans of science comics and reluctant readers who will happily absorb a whole galaxy of facts without noticing they are learning.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A best fit for independent readers of about 7-11, and a fun shared read a little younger. The comic format and steady drip of real science make it ideal for reluctant readers and space-mad children alike.
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- Best fit · 7–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 7–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Space fans
- Science comics
- Reluctant readers
- Stem
- Funny facts
Avoid if
- Wants realistic stories
- Dislikes comics
Particularly good for children who are…
- Interested in science
- Reluctant reader
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Riding a hover-buggy past escaping black holes and through a meteorite storm makes learning about space feel like a rollercoaster. The jokes come thick and fast, Sandro the cat is great value, and there's a real plot to crack while the facts sneak in.
- Being a detective
- Adventure and freedom
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
Madeleine Finlay packs genuine cosmology, relativity, planet formation, the fate of the universe, into a fast, funny adventure, and Tom Dearie's dense, bright art makes hard ideas land. It's exactly the kind of book that turns a reluctant reader into a science enthusiast.
- Educational for adult too
- Shared humour
- Conversation starter
About the creators
About the creators.
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