The Night Sky

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6Series titles that start with basic principles and then build upon them. The writing is generally clear, with explanations supported by useful diagrams. The use of examples from everyday life keeps the science lively and relevant. At times, however, the level of information offered is inconsistent. For instance, Matter presents detailed discussions of atoms and elements, but molecules are barely mentioned, and defined only in the glossary. A few "investigations" are included, ranging from making constellations by joining dots (Night Sky) to using red cabbage to test acidity (Matter). Instructions tend to be vague: in the homemade telescope project, for example, the type of glue and the locations of the lenses are not specified. Most of the projects are not intriguing enough to encourage readers to try them, and the expected results are revealed at the end. Challenging questions are posed throughout with answers at the back. Many of them require knowledge not offered in the books. Each title also features "workout" blocks, offering mathematical challenges related to the topics. They are fairly complex, and only the most inspired readers will bother attempting them. The volumes contain some useful information, but other books on these topics are more cohesive and exciting.Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR