Astronomy Volume

Jie Baofeng / 姜忠喆Liaohai Publishing House · ChinaApr 2025

2.6

Word count: 63 words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Ten years ago, The Unknown World astonished China's publishing industry and was embraced by readers at home and abroad as a groundbreaking work. It went on to win the National Book Award, the Five-One Project Award, the First Prize for Outstanding Children's Literature, the First Prize for Outstanding Popular Science Books, and the National Outstanding Book Award, among others. Ten years on, the world has changed rapidly—what new questions have emerged in the unknown world? See the upgraded edition of The Unknown World. The unknown world is the starting point of invention and creation, and the driving force of inquiry-based learning. What kind of book is this? It is not a book of hearsay or tabloid tales! It is a compass for the scientific landscape, written for children by leading popular science writers. Why do many young scientists find it easier to produce first-rate research once they reach Europe or America? One key reason is that there they meet first-rate mentors who know the cutting-edge questions of their field, can bring them directly to the research frontier, and entrust them with尖端 problems to study. What are today's scientists researching? This series presents to readers the frontier questions of various disciplines, expressed in the language of popular science. It is of great significance for cultivating Chinese children's innovative awareness and inquiry-based learning methods! It is a first-rate guide leading children into the unknown world! National Book Award, Five-One Project Award, First Prize for Outstanding Popular Science Books, National Outstanding Book Award.

Editor's review

This book belongs to a series of frontier popular science readings for young people, continuing the approach of the upgraded edition of The Unknown World. Written by leading popular science writers, it focuses on the前沿 questions in astronomy that remain unsettled and are being actively investigated by scientists. Its core value lies not in listing established astronomical facts, but in presenting "unsolved problems" to young readers, making curiosity the starting point of inquiry-based learning. The book explains disciplinary frontiers in accessible language, helping children understand that science is not a fixed set of conclusions but an ongoing process of raising new questions and seeking new evidence. For cultivating innovative awareness and scientific thinking, this kind of problem-oriented reading is often more inspiring than a compilation of knowledge. It is suitable as extended reading outside the classroom and for parent-child reading, where a particular astronomical puzzle can spark discussion. Readers need not aim to memorize facts; what matters more is following the questions to think about how scientists know what they know.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Primary and middle school students curious about astronomy and the universe, who love asking why
Parents and teachers who want to guide children toward inquiry-based learning
Non-specialist readers who want to understand frontier questions in astronomy through popular science language
Popular science enthusiasts who need extended classroom reading materials to cultivate scientific thinking

Not a good fit for

Senior middle school students who need systematic astronomy textbooks or exam preparation materials
Serious popular science readers who expect a complete knowledge system rather than a question-based narrative
Readers who prefer fiction and lack interest in scientific inquiry

Reading tips

Read one frontier question at a time, then have the child retell in their own words what the question is and where the difficulty lies
Encourage new questions while reading, note down unresolved doubts from the book, then look up materials to verify
During parent-child reading, discuss one astronomical puzzle together—this sparks inquiry more than reading page by page
After reading, try drawing a "question map" and group related questions by theme to form clues for further reading

About the publisher

Liaohai Publishing House China · Founded in 1996

Liaohai Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for textbooks and the collation of ancient works. Its publishing scope covers state-approved textbooks, local curriculum materials, supplementary educational books, and national and local ancient-text compilation projects, while also extending into humanities fields such as Eastern philosophy. Its catalog contains about 4,694 titles, with representative works including the multi-volume Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), and its author resources include classic writers and works such as Sima Qian and Confucius. Grounded in educational publishing and the transmission of traditional culture, the press maintains sustained investment in ancient-text collation, forming a publishing profile that balances textbooks and scholarship. Due to limited public information, its more specific publishing directions and features require further supplementation.

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FAQ

What age of child is this book suitable for?

The materials do not specify a precise reading age. This book is positioned as frontier popular science written for children by leading popular science writers. The language is accessible, but it involves frontier questions in astronomy, so it is recommended for children in the upper primary grades and above who already have basic astronomical knowledge. Younger children can read it with parental guidance and explanation.

Does the book present established astronomical knowledge or unsolved mysteries?

The book focuses on frontier questions in astronomy—topics scientists are actively researching and on which no settled conclusion exists. It does not aim to provide standard answers; instead, it presents the "unknown world" to readers, guiding children to understand the process of scientific inquiry and to develop the awareness of asking questions and seeking evidence.

Can reading this book improve a child's science grades?

This is not an exam-prep book and is not organized according to exam syllabi. Its value lies in stimulating curiosity and inquiry-based learning, helping children understand how scientific questions are posed and verified. It offers indirect help in developing scientific literacy and ways of thinking, but one should not expect it to directly raise test scores.

What awards has this series won?

According to the materials, the predecessor of this series, The Unknown World, won the National Book Award, the Five-One Project Award, the First Prize for Outstanding Children's Literature, the First Prize for Outstanding Popular Science Books, and the National Outstanding Book Award, among others. The upgraded edition continues its editorial approach and can serve as a reference when choosing books.

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About the author

Jie Baofeng Author · Chinese · 1976

Jie Baofeng, born in 1976 and a native of Qianguo, Jilin, is of Han ethnicity and serves as an assistant researcher. He is currently director of the Jilin Provincial Local Chronicles Museum, a member of the Standing Committee of the Jilin Provincial CPPCC, and vice chair of the Jilin Provincial Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and has long been engaged in compiling local chronicles. He has planned and published more than ninety chronicles and gazetteers, including the Illustrated Gazetteer of the Colonial Governing Institutions of the Puppet State of Manchukuo, and has served as chief editor of numerous history and popular science series, gaining extensive experience in document organization and knowledge dissemination. His works span a wide range of subjects, including folk literature, inspirational growth, and social fiction, with 970 titles held in the collection. These include multivolume editions of traditional classics such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas and The Complete Works of Guiguzi, as well as accessible popular readings, reflecting an editorial approach that balances scholarship with readability.

姜忠喆 Author

Jiang Zhongzhe is an author about whom little public information is available; his nationality, dates of birth and death, and personal background cannot be confirmed. According to library holdings, ninety-eight works appear under his name, mainly in suspense and detective fiction, with some inspirational and personal-growth titles as well. Representative works include volumes one, two, and three of The Complete Sherlock Holmes, along with The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Sign of Four, Adventures in History, and The Valley of Fear—compiled or adapted works connected to the Holmes series, indicating a substantial engagement with organizing and popularizing detective fiction. At the same time, titles such as volume nine of The Complete Guiguzi point to editorial work on traditional classics, suggesting a broad range that spans popular reading and the transmission of traditional culture. Overall, Jiang Zhongzhe's works emphasize storytelling and readability for general readers, and he has accumulated some experience in introducing suspense and detective literature.