What Is the Story of Captain Kirk?
Star Trek books
A middle grade nonfiction book about Captain Kirk. Part biography of the character, part history of the television series and movies. It covers how Roddenberry came to be a TV writer, how Star Trek went through two pilots, was cancelled, un-cancelled, re-cancelled, and finally how the characters lived on in movies and how the universe lived on in subsequent series.
It definitely feels like it's aimed at the younger end of the middle grade audience, and it's a little hard for me to imagine someone young enough not to find the tone grating, but still interested in this kind of book. "But did you know Kirk wasn't even the show's first captain? And that the Star Trek series almost didn't happen?" Why, no, I, an eight-year-old, am not familiar with the development of a sixty-year-old television program. Perhaps for a child with geeky parents, steeped from birth in old Trek, those questions would arouse interest, but… eh, this is probably just a book that's not for me.
My uncertainty about its suitability for its target audience aside, the book does a decent job of hitting the high points–and a number of minor points–about TOS and Kirk.
Blurb
He is . . .
The commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise on an exploration mission in space
One of the most highly decorated captains in the history of Starfleet
An explorer who boldly goes where no one has gone before
Your favorite characters are now part of the Who HQ library!
Journey to deep space and learn how James Tiberius Kirk became one of the greatest space heroes in the Star Trek universe in this addition to the New York Times bestselling series.
From appearances in live action and animated television shows, a series of films, comics, video games, and more, James T. Kirk is an established space captain in pop culture.
Star Trek remains one of the most popular science-fiction series of all time, and Captain Kirk is one of the most famous and highly decorated captains in the history of Starfleet. As the commanding officer of starships like the U.S.S. Enterprise, viewers follow his adventures through space. But did you know that Kirk wasn’t even the show’s first Captain? And that the Star Trek series almost didn’t happen?
Author M. D. Payne takes readers aboard Starfleet starships as Kirk explores new worlds, encounters new villains, and “boldly goes where no man has gone before.”