Space Revealed

The books in this striking series balance a page of text with either a large-scale image, several smaller images, or a diagrams depicting the information ­presented. Even the denser text pages tend to have background images, small inset ­pictures, or ­sidebars with diagrams and ­captions to break up the page. Diagrams of a comet’s orbit or planetary cores enhance understanding, but the images in Stars
& Galaxies of nebulae, the Pleiades, and the ­Whirlpool ­Galaxy are especially ­breathtaking. A “­Review and Reflect” ­section at the end of each title includes comprehension questions (with relevant page numbers listed), and critical thinking questions to ­apply what was learned. There are also open-ended ­questions to prompt thinking and conversation around the ­content. For example, a ­question asks, “Why do you think ­humans wanted to travel to the moon? Would you want to go to the moon? Why or why not?”

VERDICT: A ­recommended purchase to ­update or ­expand collections.