ALA Booklist (Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

From the eye-catching jacket photos to the clearly written explanations of natural phenomena, volumes in the Inside series have much to offer. Each book explores its topic in an engaging way, and the many excellent illustrations work well with adjacent text and captions. While the 10 fold-outward or fold-upward pages aren't always necessary, the books' varied page layouts are attractive and the quality of the photos, computer-generated images, original illustrations, and charts is consistently excellent. The new volumes offer historical perspective on their respective subjects as well as bringing to life, through photos and well-chosen quotes, the dramatic experiences of firsthand observers. Drawing on Abramson's knowledge of children's book writing and editing as well as Low's expertise as an astrophysicist, Inside Stars explores the big bang, the formation and death of stars, the sun, multiple star systems, and related topics. Some pages in this volume, such as double-page spreads on space weather, offer scannable smart-phone links to further information. Each volume concludes with strong back matter. Excellent books for browsing or science reports.

Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

Clear prose and striking visuals combine to explain stellar matters such as classification and formation of stars and how astronomers work. The book conveys accessibility and immediacy through a conversational style. Foldout pages (some horizontal, some vertical) are generally used to excellent effect. Photos, drawings, charts, and other visuals are well chosen and well documented. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Kirkus Reviews

This slender survey of the observable universe spreads itself a little thin but features plenty of foldouts and dramatic sky art. The authors set themselves an ambitious goal: general explanations of the Big Bang, along with star birth, death, types, clusters and systems, followed by a look at our closest stellar neighbor. They also pause for quick mentions of artificial satellites, seasons, the water cycle, the visible spectrum, the science and technology of modern astronomy, dark matter, eclipses and our planet's magnetosphere. Even with 10 single or double gatefolds, the level of detail never gets more than skin deep—though the authors do manage to squeeze in some select facts, such as the average temperatures of our Sun's layers and a clear if compressed picture of how fusion works. On full but not crowded-looking pages, the captions, vocabulary words and digestible blocks of text are set into and around an engagingly diverse mix of cutaway views, digital paintings and eye-widening deep-space photographs. Closing with general advice for amateur stargazers, plus lists of recommended print and Web resources, supplemented (for readers with smartphones) by three barcode tags linked to downloadable videos and other add-ons, there's plenty here to stimulate both random browsers and confirmed young sky watchers. A steady look into the high frontier, well above average in both content and design. (Nonfiction. 10-13)