The Stargazer's Guide to the Galaxy - Softcover

Q.L. PEARCE lives in Claremont, California. May Ann Fraser has illustrated more than forty books for children, and is the author-illustrator of a growing list of popular middle-grade books that focus on U.S. history. Her In Search of the Grand Canyon was voted a Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal and Ten Mile Day was an American Bookseller Pick, of the Lists. A graduate of Exter College of Art Design, she lives with her husband and three children in Simi Valley, California.

Grade 4 Up-- A basic introduction to stargazing in the northern hemisphere. After a brief but unusually clear description of what's out there, Pearce presents four seasonal views of the night sky in white on blue backgrounds. Eight visible constellations are pictured and the orgin of the name of each is briefly described, as are other interesting objects that may be seen with binoculars or asmall telescope. Pronunciations and definitions of unfamiliar words are given in context. This slim paperback offers far more information than Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations (Grosset, 1989) by C. E. Thompson. The Night Sky Book (Little, 1977) by Jamie Jobb, with its many activities for stargazers, and The Constellations (Four Winds, 1991) by Roy Gallant, with its much greater emphasis on legends of the constellations, both have more complicated appearances without telling more about specific stargazing. The only problem with Pearce's book is the format. Where the double-page seasonal views go through the gutter, constellations are repeated like fraternal but not identical twins, making a confusing double image down the center of the diagram. Included is a punch-out location guide for circumpolar constellations, which is likely to be lost in circulation, but won't be missed. On the whole, this is a satisfactory field guide. --Margaret Chatham, formerly at Smithtown Lib . , NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.