Night Sky: Find Adventure! Go Outside! Have Fun! Be a Backyard Stargazer!
(National Geographic Kids: Ultimate Explorer Field Guide)

Gr 5-8--Schneider (Backyard Guide to the Night Sky) returns to familiar stomping grounds with this meticulous, logical, and visually compelling guide to the night sky. The table of contents is thorough and color-coded (subheadings in the contents coordinate with the subheadings in the text, as does the footer with the page number). A "How To Use This Book" section explains how to navigate the callouts and other features on each page. Subject matter is presented logically and builds from very basic astronomy ("The Sky Above Us") to more advanced areas of knowledge, even reaching beyond the solar system and galaxy ("Spectacular Sky: Andromeda Galaxy"). The writing is accessible, with a comprehensive index, a glossary, and sighting charts included to further ease students into the subject. However, vocabulary words aren't boldfaced within the text, and the glossary is more a brief collection of general astronomy terms. Photos complement the information and have vibrant borders that will catch readers' attention. VERDICT Packaged in a fun, vibrant, and engaging manner, this title is highly recommended for middle school and public libraries with a large astronomy following.--Doneanne Soult, Westampton Middle School, NJ