The Secret Explorers and the Comet Collusion

The Secret Explorers are a team of young adventurers that every child would love to join. After exciting encounters with dinosaurs and with Egyption tombs, this episode sees two of the explorers, Roshni and Ollie, jettisoned into outer space to repair a space station near the planet Jupiter.

The team’s mysterious, faceless benefactor is the Exploration Station, and it calls all the explorers together before choosing two members to take on an epic challenge. This time, rainforest expert Ollie, and astronaut Roshni are chosen. Roshni knows all there is to know about space and is delighted when the explorers’ ship – the Beagle – transforms into a rocket and sets off towards Jupiter. The Beagle has unbelievable speed and they are soon at their destination and learn the details of their quest.

The space station near Jupiter is in need of some repair so that it can carry out its important research duties. It is clear that a space walk is required. This is a dream come true for Roshni who can’t wait to put on her space suit and get out into the unknown to fix the broken sections. It’s a dangerous and frightening mission, as becoming separate from the ship would leave her floating in space with no way of propelling herself back to safety. As if this wasn’t scary enough, a belt of comets is on the move and hurtling towards the explorers at intergalactic speed!

As well as fending for themselves millions of miles from home, and completing daring engineering challenges, Roshni and Ollie have a serious problem with getting back home – posed by the comets. Ollie has to call upon all the navigational skills he learned in the rainforests if they are going to return safely.

Though there is a sense of adventure maintained throughout, the Comet Collision chiefly serves as a way of introducing facts and knowledge about space to young readers. Roshni regularly stops what she is doing to explain what Ollie can see and why it is important, and the book also features mission notes, a fact file and a substantial glossary. It is a fun addition to a series that continues to offer children engaging ways of exploring the world through stories.