"The stars at night are big and bright,/ In Houston, it's time to say goodnight," opens this affectionate tribute to Texas's largest city. Simple rhymed couplets bid goodnight to various landmarks, attractions, events, and natural resources, including the Hermann Park Railroad, the Houston Zoo, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Galveston Bay, the Orange Show, and Discovery Green. Some entries feel like filler—"spicy tacos and juicy barbeque," "babies in the blooming bluebonnets"—but contribute to an overall sense of the sources of Houstonian pride. The digitally enhanced artwork largely consists of photographs that appear to have been run through a few Photoshop filters, but are certainly eye-catching and the highlight of the volume. Standouts include images of fireworks exploding over the skyscraper-studded night skyline, a NASA astronaut suspended in space, and the sun setting over Houston's main waterway, Buffalo Bayou. The paper-over-board book concludes with capsule descriptions of the locations, events, and highlights referred to in the verse. This friendly introduction to Houston should find its core readership among city residents and visitors. Ages 4–up.
