BOOKS

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"All that glitters. Opening with a blinding, nearly life-size picture of the U.K.'s jewel-encrusted St. Edward's crown, this fulsome gallery of shiny extravagance encompasses both manufactured treasures and natural wonders. Among the former are King Tut's golden mask and the fantastically expensive International Space Station, and the latter range from birthstones and gloriously iridescent insects on to Omega Centauri, the biggest star cluster in our galaxy. To the photos, most of which are close-ups processed for maximum color intensity, Davidson adds general descriptive notes—extolling each one's magnificence but also adding historical, biological, or geological background. Occasional featurettes explain how to tell gold from pyrite, for instance, or real from imitation pearls. Young dreamers with a taste for over-the-top toys, pets, film props (ruby slippers, anyone?), foreign currency, or food won't be disappointed either. 'Bling is all around us,' the author writes. Maybe so…but rarely is the razzle-dazzle this cranked up. Should come with a cautionary note: sunglasses a must!"

—Kirkus Reviews

"If it grabs your eye, sparkles, twinkles, or shines anywhere in the universe, you are likely to find it discussed in this book...The reader will find a great many fascinating subjects from rocks, history, science, splurges, lights, and beyond. Young readers will enjoy looking at the pictures, and more advanced readers will find fascinating tidbits to share with their friends. I recommend it for elementary and middle school libraries." 

—School Library Connection