Venus! Fierce and fabulous

Gr 1--3--In the same vein as Our Solar System! A Stellar Neighborhood in the "Our Universe" series, McAnulty and Lewis turn their humorous and informative focus to that glamorous and unique neighbor, Venus. Crushingly fabulous, the planet herself tells of her atmosphere that would, due to its density, flatten a human being should one ever try to visit her. Her blazing hot temperatures (hottest in the solar system) and the allure that she has had for people on Earth since time immemorial are shared with just the right balance of cheeky self-assuredness. Illustrations add to the humor and understanding of our size "twinsie" in the sky. Venus's interesting features, combined with her well-deserved spunkiness, will delight both casual readers and those fans of planet facts looking for a closer peek at the second planet from the sun. VERDICT The personification works to great effect in this addition to the series, and libraries should definitely give Venus her well-deserved spot on the shelves. Highly recommended.--John Scott

The solar system's hottest diva struts her stuff. The titular character's claim that she's the only goddess among the planetary gods may leave partisans of "Gaea" (technically not an official name, but still) feeling a little miffed. That aside, Venus still has plenty to crow about--from having higher surface temperatures than Mercury, to sporting a day that's longer than her year, to spinning so the sun comes up in the west. Joining McAnulty's other solar system soliloquies with the same engaging mix of facts and attitude ("Earth has clouds. I don't…justhave clouds. I'm smothered in them!"), Venus shines up from the page. She sports a proud expression on her broad face, whether hovering with windswept golden locks over a seashell like her Botticellian counterpart or floating in space, waving to her earthly and celestial fans with stubby limbs. Closing with a review quiz and a roundup of basic statistics, this animated planetary self-portrait will give young readers more reason than ever to pay proper attention to the brightest of our non-stellar astronomical neighbors. An introduction to Venus that shows the planet at her most verbally and visually vivacious. (bibliography)(Informational picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.