Thanks to Brenna Coleman for contributing this review!
Laika
Synopsis
Laika is a semi-fictionalized account of the life of Laika, a stray dog who was the first living organism to enter space during the Soviet-American Space Race.
Why should I read this book?
This is an excellent reflection on the ethics of animal subjects as well as the ethics of political posturing and bias in science. This book intertwines history and science impeccably, and is a genuinely moving, well-researched story.
Who is this book best for?
I would recommend this as a whole-class read or free reading book for an upper-middle school or high school science course. It is accessible and multi-faceted.
Challenge Rating: Potential Challenge
Like many novels with a dog on the cover, the dog dies during the course of the story. This text pulls no punches in regards to animal suffering, and many readers may be more upset by this than is typical, given that in this case the dog was real.
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