How did the universe begin? What is a black hole? And what happens if you throw a party for time travellers...?

When Stephen Hawking was told at the age of twenty-one that he only had a few years to live, it made him more determined than ever to find out the answers to life's big questions.

Diagnosed with motor-neurone disease as a young man, Stephen defied the odds and lived to the age of 76 - and his scientific discoveries changed the world . . .

From building model aeroplanes as a child to travelling all over the globe and experiencing a zero-gravity flight, Stephen Hawking's life was extraordinary from beginning to end.

Extraordinary Lives is a bold new series about the lives of incredible historical and modern figures, full of narrative biography, timelines, fascinating facts and beautiful illustrations.

This book is part of a book series called Extraordinary Lives .

This book has been graded for interest at 7-12 years.

There are 128 pages in this book. This book was published 2019 by Penguin Books Ltd .

Kate Scott has written for CBeebies (Big and Small, Chuggington) and The Hive (Disney World). Her radio play Voice was shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award. Follow Kate on Twitter: @KateScottWriter