Moons: ISBN 978-1-6782-0406-8 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0407-5
The Sun: ISBN 978-1-6782-0410-5 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0411-2
PA School Librarian Association, October 12, 2023
This reviewer evaluated the titles The Sun and Moons. Each of the series titles is organized in a similar fashion, with a two-page ‘at a glance’ summary preceding the books’ longer introduction and chapters. An index, source notes, and a bibliography is included for students to use in further research of the topic. In The Sun, Wolny includes information about the Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018 to gather new information about Earth’s relationship with the Sun. The book also contains information about heliocentric and geocentric models, and it covers civilization’s historical understanding of the Sun. Moons contains a multitude of information about not just Earth’s moon but the many other moons present in the solar system. In each book, the authors take care to place vocabulary words in bold font, and they include clear text features with extra information on missions and locations. Pictures are varied and contain captions that do not distract from the chapters’ text.
THOUGHTS: These new hi-lo solar system nonfiction titles will be great primers in all things outer space for interested students in both middle and high school. The up-to-date information offered in this collection will be a welcome addition for libraries that may be living with an otherwise aged natural science nonfiction collection. One thing I particularly liked about this series is its inclusion of carefully curated source notes and bibliography. The authors include credible online sources (as well as books), so students easily can look up additional bits of information as needed. These series books are short but mighty at 64 pages each, and this series makes great resource material for young scientists!
500 Science
The Asteroid Belt: ISBN 978-1-6782-0402-0 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0403-7
The Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune: ISBN 978-1-6782-0404-4 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0405-1
Moons: ISBN 978-1-6782-0406-8 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0407-5
Pluto and the Dwarf Planets: ISBN 978-1-6782-0408-2 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0409-9
The Sun: ISBN 978-1-6782-0410-5 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0411-2
The Terrestrial Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars: ISBN 978-1-6782-0412-9 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0413-6
School Library Journal, Series Made Simple supplement November 1, 2022
Gr 6 Up —The Solar System is brought to life in this comprehensive series, which investigates the planets, moons, sun, and more. Each title presents an aspect of the solar system and describes its properties, the history of its discovery, and how it is studied today. The series is written between a third and fourth grade reading level, with simple sentences and a controlled vocabulary. The content is extremely detailed and informative, and the text condenses these complicated, scientific topics down in an engaging way. However, there are times when large blocks of text are presented without pictures to break them up, and these books are on the longer side for a hi-lo series. Source notes, as well as resources for further research, are provided at the end of each book. VERDICT This quality series provides an in-depth look at space; recommended for middle and high school collections seeking materials for striving readers.
Additional commentary from the supplement
These new and forthcoming series use well-honed strategies to help students develop their literacy skills. .... Noteworthy hi-lo series include .... and "Our Solar System" (ReferencePoint). Both of these take complicated subject matters and make them interesting and easy-to-understand for those needing texts at a lower reading level. These well-crafted texts use a variety of techniques to support readers and build their confidence.