A Cool Kid's Field Guide to Space (Cool Kid's Field Guides)

A guide to outer space discusses such topics as satellites, the solar system and the planets in it, other space objects, the sun, and human exploration of space.

Grade 4–6—These books are printed on thick, glossy stock and measure 4½-by-9 inches. The spiral binding is enclosed in a hard outer spine and cover, flipping open like a reporter's notebook. Adding to the informal tone is the comic-book-style font, foldout pages, and numerous lift-the-flap embellishments. Space covers the universe, the solar system, telescopes, satellites, space exploration, and spacecraft. Weather includes a wide range of topics from climate, meteorology, and natural disasters to global warming. The brief entries are done in a question-and-answer format. Offering fun facts and interesting tidbits, each page also features small but attractive illustrations. The texts are engaging, but not practical as research material. For example, "How big is the sun? Large enough to hold over a million planets the same size as Earth." Casual readers will enjoy exploring these unconventional books for interesting facts. With foldouts and lift-the-flap features, Liane Onish's Wind and Weather (Scholastic, 1995) uses a similar "let's discover" treatment of weather. For reports, suggest "The History of Space Exploration" series (World Almanac Library) or "The New Solar System" series (Chelsea Clubhouse).—June Shimonishi, Torrance Public Library, CA
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