HOUSTON

An enthusiastic but impersonal guide to the Texas city. Young travelers will be drawn to the many bright color photos showing a clean, modern city decked with parks and other greenery; the easy text includes both a thumbnail historical sketch (beefed up by a ""timeline,"" at the end) and a list of tourist stops. In contrast to other books in the ""Downtown America"" series, the author acknowledges the existence of crime, pollution, and the homeless, but he chiefly tries to communicate a positive sense of the city's character and huge size rather than a balanced portrait. He mentions Houston's major ethnic groups and neighborhoods, but says little of individual citizens, either famous or typical. Best for tourists; use also as a ""state"" book for assignments. Lists of addresses and festivals; index.