The Unexplained: UFOs: (The Unexplained)

Whether it's eerie lights in the sky, impossibly fast aircraft or the secrets surrounding Area 51, UFOs have fascinated people for decades. Mysterious flying objects, alien sightings and strange encounters have kept the world guessing one big question. Are aliens real?

About the Author :
Adam Allsuch Boardman was born in a family of creatives in West Yorkshire. He studied BA Illustration at the Leeds Arts University and graduated in 2016. Following his degree, Adam served a year as the Students' Union President whilst simultaneously working as a freelance illustrator. Since then, Adam has worked for a variety of clients such as Apple, The Economist, Deloitte and Monocle.

Review :
Because children's fascination with aliens never wanes, this heavily illustrated guide to UFO sightings will be an instant hit. Its sleek, digital design channels a retro aesthetic with a limited color palette, geometric forms, and stylized fonts. Beginning with ancient civilizations and the panic of the War of the Worlds 1938 radio broadcast, double-page spreads highlight key topics and theories chronologically. Information is presented by decade once the 1940s arrive, as this marks the modern history of UFOs, with such events as the first sighting of a "flying saucer" and the Roswell incident. Within each section, information is further chunked into short, digestible parts with complementary illustrations and infographics. As young readers travel through this time line, they'll encounter men in black, Area 51, crop circles, myriad UFO experiences, organizations that study these phenomena, government responses, and more unusual activities. Throughout the fun, the author also makes it clear that some conspiracy theories, such as ancient aliens, are damaging to historic human cultures. A visually appealing selection for curious minds and budding ufologists. Artist Adam Allsuch Boardman has previously created illustrated histories of ghosts and urban legends. Here he turns his attention to UFOs - mysterious objects in the sky that may of may not be alien spacecrafts. Spoiler alert: they're probably not. But thats no excuse not to pet exoted about the possibilities, and Boardman does a prea job at covering a wide range of different UFO-related incidents (peaking during the Cold War) while presenting, explanations where available. One image from the 1990s, which he reproduces in miniature, was 'later revealed by the photographer to be made of polystyrene and light bulbs: others can be attributed to weather phenomena. Throughout the book, phrases like 'Some suggest ...' and 'Ufologists believe ...' allow for outlandish theories to be put forward before being gently debunked. Boardman is attentive to the historical and cultural context of various sightings and stories, pointing out that a theory about ancient astronauts might be interesting but also encourages a disrespectiul view of our ancestors, their rich cultural histories and impressive craftsmanship. Moving between full-page spreads, inset images and comic strips as needed, the illustrations evoke both real historical moments and feverish imaginings, often contextualised with reference to the times popular culture or later-revealed details about a particular event. It's skilfully done and an accessible vet informative reading experience. The focus on critically assessing evidence is very welcome in our perennially misinformed age, making this a worthy book for schools and libraries - but it's also a whole lot of nerdy alien-related fun as well. This highly enjoyable graphic guide travels back through history, charting the hundreds of sightings of strange happenings, starting with the theories surrounding ancient Egypt, the Vikings, statues on Easter Island up to present day SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and much, much more. [...]With endless facts, comic-strip fun illustrations and a real insight into the hundreds of recorded incidents and stories, Boardman's book is a must-read for anyone interested in this fascinating subject. Pitched at upper primary and early teens, this will also appeal to older readers looking for a fun exploration of an age-old question.