Our galaxy, the Milky Way, tells the story of its formation and composition. Factual sidebars provide additional scientific information about stars, light, dark matter, and other elements of the universe. The well-captioned illustrations combine photographs of starry skies from a human perspective, views of distant galaxies, and artists' interpretations of what the far reaches of the universe may look like.

Gr 3-6 The wonder of outer space is emphasized in this slight but awe-inspiring look at our galaxy, its stars, gases, dust, and the mysterious black matter that surrounds it all. The evocative main text, written in first person as if spoken by the Milky Way, makes references to mythology and blends facts with questions addressing the unknown ("What am I really? I am neither milk nor corn meal"). Our connection to the stuff of stars, their birth and death, and the size and shape of our galaxy are all touched upon, along with black holes and the expansion of the universe. Besides the main text, each spread includes a factual sidebar and a captioned photo of space. Many of the images are unique to this title and were taken throughout the United States. While this is not a necessary addition to most collections, it's a thought-provoking starting point for a study of the universe. Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI