These texts explore a range of topics about bodies in the solar system, covering both planetary science and the technology used to explore and gather data. The formats are a little crowded with main text, detailed captions for the many color photographs and diagrams, "Far-Out Fact" text boxes, and "Fast Facts" lists. There are six other fall 2010 titles in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

CARSON, Mary Kay . Far-Out Guide to Earth . maps. ISBN 978-0-7660-3182-1 ; ISBN 978-1-59845-183-2 . LC 2008049781. CARSON, Mary Kay . Far-Out Guide to Jupiter . ISBN 978-0-7660-3184-5 ; ISBN 978-1-59845-186-3 . LC 2008050036. CARSON, Mary Kay . Far-Out Guide to the Icy Dwarf Planets . ISBN 978-0-7660-3187-6 ; ISBN 978-1-59845-190-0 . LC 2009037810. ea vol: 48p. (Far-Out Guide to the Solar System Series). diags. illus. photos. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Enslow Elementary . 2010. PLB $23.93; pap. $7.95. Gr 4-6 Lively writing with specific facts systematically presented and plenty of dramatic space art and photography add up to a winning formula for these introductions to our planet and its solar neighborhood. Highlighting the satellites and space probes that have played such central roles in our exploration of the solar system, Carson offers a thrillingly alarmist view in Asteroids and Comets of the (relatively) small rocks and comets that hurtle through local space to, on occasion, collide spectacularly with Earth or other planets. In the second title, she explains how the Landsats and other satellites have led us to a better understanding of the inner and outer characteristics of Earth. The author then surveys our rapidly expanding knowledge of Jupiter and its teeming system of moons and describes our tentative first steps toward closer looks at the enigmatic Pluto and three other Pluto-like icy dwarfs beyond. Aside from misleadingly dense representations of the asteroid belt and of near-Earth objects in Asteroids , the illustrations are above averagea cogent and well-placed mix of astro-photos, processed images, speculative paintings, and portraits of space gear and scientists at work. Numerous sidebars, spreads of summary "Fast Facts" in each volume, and select lists of multimedia resources expand and support presentations that will appeal equally to casual readers and researchers. John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library