Gr 3-7 With excellent-quality photographs and a well-written text, this is a thorough presentation of the most up-to-date knowledge about this ancient European culture, from its origins in 800 B.C. through A.D. 500, and cites the echoes of Celtic traditions that live on today. Aerial photos, time lines, informative sidebars, and National Geographic's famous maps augment text that asks and answers interesting questions ("Why did the Celts make human sacrifices?" "What happened when the Romans came?"). Rigorous in its distinction between theory, supposition, and proven fact, the book has photos of artifacts, sites, and physical remainsincluding close-ups of Celtic "bog people" showing details such as manicured fingernails and hairdos. Scale is scrupulously noted for all objects and structures in both English and metric units. Numerous explanations of techniques and processesboth of the Celts and those employed by archaeologists to study theminject an element of how-to, a canny addition that will hook readers fascinated by how things work and how we figure things out. Previous books on the subject for this age group have concentrated on the British Isles, or have focused on Celtic myths or daily life. Ancient Celts is a balanced, scientific account that doesn't stint on the mummified remains. Sure to appeal to a broad range of learners. Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD