3rd, 4th, 5th, Middle School, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th ; Hard Cover, Nonfiction ; Highly Recommended

Wonders of the Night Sky: Astronomy Starts with Just Looking Up

By Raman Prinja; illustrated by Jan Bielecki

This richly illustrated book of astronomy is a visual delight of information and drawings that beautifully explain the night sky. Because the images are created by an artist, constellations not only show the location of stars, but show the image that the stars represent. For example, the constellation Orion is explained & various stars are explained and the Orion Nebula is zoomed out so you can see it up close. The book covers all manner of topics someone looking at the night sky might be interested in knowing – from best ways to watch the night sky to what constellations you might see at various times of the year, phases of the moon, the milky way, our galaxy and beyond.  All are explained in student-friendly, detailed language and gorgeous illustrations. Want to know more about moon landings? A lovely 2 page spread gives you the highlights with explanatory images. Want to understand comets and asteroids?  Easy to understand explanations and illustrations that zoom in and out to show you the close up and the distant all on beautiful 2-page spreads. The back of the book includes some hands-on activities students can make and do followed by a Glossary, ways to find out more, and an index to help the reader locate the specific information they want. This is going to be a popular book with my astronomy fans in my middle school. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind.