Zombie Spiders and Asteroid Blasters

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Author(s)

Maynard Okereke

Publisher

Storey Publishing, LLC

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 03, 2026

ISBN

978-1635868487

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A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Have you ever heard of a spider being turned into a useful robot? Or a real-life planetary defense team protecting the Earth from asteroids? Sounds like science fiction … but it’s not!

Take a wild ride with Maynard Okereke, the Hip Hop MD, into some of the most fascinating and strange corners of scientific research, from physics and engineering to ecology and neuroscience. These wacky wonders of nature and technology will wow all readers and inspire budding scientists to look at the world with fresh curiosity and consider how science can be used to help people, help nature, or enhance our understanding about the world. Interviews with real scientists highlight representation for diverse children and how scientists from a wide range of backgrounds are working to build a better future for our planet.

Editor review

1 review

Fascinating Subjects and Fun Interviews

May 23, 2026 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Learning Value

5.0

Written for ages 8 and up, ZOMBIE SPIDERS AND ASTEROID BLASTERS explores 16 ways that scientists are trying to change the world. Each subject is explained by the author, Maynard Okereke (a.k.a. the Hip Hop MD), followed by an interview with a scientist working on that particular subject.

Of the 16 things that the scientists are researching, my personal favorite is the zombie spiders. But if you’re not a fan of spiders, there’s plenty of other topics discussed. From space to the deep sea, studying kidneys and studying life in Antarctica. There’s probably something to capture anyone’s attention, even kids th at might not normally seek out science topics.

Along with the wide range of topics discussed in this book, there was also a variety of scientists that the author interviewed. It was great to see such a diverse collection of people and backgrounds being discussed. A scientist with ADHD, a former Disney Imagineer, and a ninja warrior are just some of the scientists interviewed in this book! It’s fun and encouraging to see people with different background speak so enthusiastically about their fields. I would’ve loved longer interviews, but the interviews in the book do tackle important questions.

The art in this book is fabulous! They are bright and colorful, but also dark when the subject calls for it. The illustrations also show the author in some of the images, from exploring to being sucked into a black hole. It’s not all illustrations either, there are a few real life images as well, which I think adds to the fact that these aren’t just hypotheses but rather things being actively studied and worked on by real world scientists.

ZOMBIE SPIDERS AND ASTEROID BLASTERS explores some of the fun and interesting things that scientists are working on to change the world. From black holes to spiders to space, there is something to interest everyone in this book. The interviews are just the cherry on top!