Learn about the moon in the first book in this new, nonfiction Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about the universe that’s perfect for kids who love science and space! Everyone loves Earth’s little neighbor: the moon! It lights up our night sky, guides our oceans, and so much more. Beginning readers will love learning all about the moon in this fact-filled Level 1 Ready-to-Read. K-Gr 2—K-Gr 2 All eyes are on the moon in this early reader about Earth's "natural satellite." The book opens with a five-word glossary that briefly defines words like "asteroid" and "gravity" before diving into a friendly overview of the titular subject. The first person plural narration tells that, uncertain of the moon's origin, many scientists believe "a large object slammed into our young Earth billions of years ago." When that happened, rocks and dust went flying and eventually gathered to form the moon. The text goes on to succinctly explain key concepts, such as gravity, lunar eclipses, and the moon's different faces (both real phases and imagined shapes in the craters). Neil Armstrong's historic visit to the moon in 1969 precludes a final, wistful image of a child and cat looking up at the sky from their window. An "Interesting Facts" section is appended. Much like Bauer and Wallace's "Wonders of America" and "Natural Disasters" series and their respective subjects, this first "Our Universe" entry makes outer space accessible to emerging readers. All but one page has a single sentence and no more than three lines per page. Though there is some repetition of words or phrases, the number of unique words (around 120) assumes some reading fluency. Wallace's signature cartoon watercolor-and-pencil illustrations engagingly mix imagined scenes with more diagramlike images. Human figures are diverse in skin tone. VERDICT With plenty to engage curious minds, this title (and series) should circulate well in most early reader collections.—Alec Chunn, Eugene P.L., OR Marion Dane Bauer is the author of many books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor book On My Honor and the Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award winner The Stuff of Stars . She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and can be reached at MarionDaneBauer.com. John Wallace’s formal training was not in illustration, but rather theology, which he received at University of Cambridge. However, he always loved drawing, and one of his early jobs was as a newspaper cartoonist. In his children’s book illustrations, he is particularly inspired by what he calls “the gooniness” of young schoolchildren. John lives in Broadstairs, England.