Highly recommended for educators, home-schoolers, and any curious kid.
Easy craft activities teach readers concepts of ecology.
Divided into four sections: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” “Animals and Plants,” “Water and Land,” and “Air,” this immersive and imaginative book introduces readers, through simple craft projects, to the scientific principles that affect and explain the ecology of our planet. Using commonly available household supplies—with an emphasis on repurposing plastic bottles and paper—the activities range from making a solar oven from a pizza box and making “plastic” from milk and vinegar to learning how to estimate population sizes through random sampling. “The Science Behind It,” an accompanying paragraph at the conclusion of each project, explains the activity’s scientific basis and its broader ecological applications. Activities range from those safe for preschoolers to ones that need adult supervision (e.g., use of a microwave or knives) and are clearly specified in the “Science for the Ages” section after each activity; this paragraph is written for adults and gives additional research ideas. With the book’s emphasis on positivity and hands-on science, kids are empowered to learn through doing. Who could resist making “Tasty Soil”—layers of cookies, whipped cream, and sprinkles—to learn about the strata of bedrock, subsoil, and topsoil, or using small fish-shaped crackers to understand sustainable fishing techniques? No frills (but clear) black-and-white photographs accompany the step-by-step text and aid in understanding each craft step.
Highly recommended for educators, home-schoolers, and any curious kid. (glossary) (Nonfiction. 4-12)Pub Date: Dec. 14, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64160-549-6
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude.
A deceptively simple, visually appealing, comprehensive explanation of volcanoes.
Gibbons packs an impressive number of facts into this browsable nonfiction picture book. The text begins with the awe of a volcanic eruption: “The ground begins to rumble…ash, hot lava and rock, and gases shoot up into the air.” Diagrams of the Earth’s structural layers—inner and outer core, mantle, and crust—undergird a discussion about why volcanoes occur. Simple maps of the Earth’s seven major tectonic plates show where volcanoes are likeliest to develop. Other spreads with bright, clearly labeled illustrations cover intriguing subtopics: four types of volcanoes and how they erupt; underwater volcanoes; well-known volcanoes and historic volcanic eruptions around the world; how to be safe in the vicinity of a volcano; and the work of scientists studying volcanoes and helping to predict eruptions. A page of eight facts about volcanoes wraps things up. The straightforward, concise prose will be easy for young readers to follow. As always, Gibbons manages to present a great deal of information in a compact form.
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude. (Nonfiction picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4569-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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