Small Readers: Out of this world: Jupiter, the biggest planet by Chaya Glaser

Bearport has been expanding into the easy reader market over the past few years. It's a natural fit, since they specialize in high-interest nonfiction with a range of reading levels. This title is part of a new series, "Out of this World" which covers the planets and also of the "Little Bits First Readers" imprint.

Each page features one to two simple sentences and some captions for the photographs. The reader will learn some basic facts about Jupiter, including size, composition, and recent discoveries.

The background of the pages is a starry sky. Various photographs of Jupiter and other plants float across it with text highlighted on bold red shapes or on the night sky background. The photographs are clearly labeled with arrows as needed pointing to specific aspects of the planet.

Back matter has a simple chart comparing Jupiter to the earth, four words in the glossary, a simple index, two recommended books, and a link to Bearport's online content and a brief bio of the author. Like most of Bearport's nonfiction easy readers, it's a square shape, about 8x8.

Verdict: While my obsessive side would like all easy readers to look alike forever and ever no exceptions amen, I can see that this larger format is a nice layout for the nonfiction content, especially when it's big round planets. The font is large and readable, the information simple but interesting, and this would be a good addition to your easy nonfiction as kids enjoy learning about space at this stage. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781627245654; Published 2015 by Bearport; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library