A pair of would-be escapees discovers the uses and misuses of simple machines in this slapstick STEMwinder.
Bored with their confines, Sloth and Sengi (aka “elephant shrew”) concoct a series of unlikely devices designed to get them over or under the walls. With Sloth providing the muscle (when awake), Sengi proves himself a small, furry engineering genius by inventing an inclined plane, a springboard, a wedge, a winch, single and double pulleys, a tunneling auger, and more from miscellaneous found materials. Macaulay depicts each project with his customary casual exactitude and festoons them with descriptive notes. These point out significant elements such as “fulcrum” and “spur gears,” joining directional arrows and lucid explanations of how each uses mechanical advantage to redirect effort or force. Some, such as the heavy-duty gear-driven lift under a window on the front cover and a seesaw that requires assembly, are working models. With much use of flaps, pop-ups, and inset booklets, the author also expands on the comical plotline with glimpses of construction machinery, hydraulics, and several types of levers in action. He also includes simple machines in various combinations—in a bicycle, a crane, and, in a big climactic foldout, a truly Rube Goldberg–ian construct that almost works.
“So clever!” murmurs the elephant shrew, admiring himself in a mirror. No argument here. (glossary, some unattached pieces) (Pop-up fiction/nonfiction hybrid. 7-9)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4654-4012-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 6, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Spirited illustrations brighten a large-format introduction to flowers and their pollinators.
Showing a less Eurocentric outlook than in his Big Book of Birds (2019), Zommer employs agile brushwork and a fondness for graceful lines and bright colors to bring to life bustling bouquets from a range of habitats, from rainforest to desert. Often switching from horizontal to vertical orientations, the topical spreads progress from overviews of major floral families and broad looks at plant anatomy and reproduction to close-ups of select flora—roses and tulips to Venus flytraps and stinking flowers. The book then closes with a shoutout to the conservators and other workers at Kew Gardens (this is a British import) and quick suggestions for young balcony or windowsill gardeners. In most of the low-angled scenes, fancifully drawn avian or insect pollinators with human eyes hover around all the large, luscious blooms, as do one- or two-sentence comments that generally add cogent observations or insights: “All parts of the deadly nightshade plant contain poison. It has been used to poison famous emperors, kings and warriors throughout history.” (Confusingly for the audience, the accurate but limited assertion that bees “often visit blue or purple flowers” appears to be contradicted by an adjacent view of several zeroing in on a yellow toadflax.) Human figures, or, in one scene, hands, are depicted in a variety of sizes, shapes, and skin colors.
A floral fantasia for casual browsers as well as budding botanists. (glossary, index) (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-500-65199-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Using science and technology, third-grader Ada Lace kicks off her new series by solving a mystery even with her leg in a cast.
Temporarily housebound after a badly executed bungee jump, Ada uses binoculars to document the ecosystem of her new neighborhood in San Francisco. She records her observations in a field journal, a project that intrigues new friend Nina, who lives nearby. When they see that Ms. Reed’s dog, Marguerite, is missing, they leap to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Nina does the legwork and Ada provides the technology for their search for the dognapper. Story-crafting takes a back seat to scene-setting in this series kickoff that introduces the major players. As part of the series formula, science topics and gadgetry are integrated into the stories and further explained in a “Behind the Science” afterword. This installment incorporates drones, a wireless camera, gecko gloves, and the Turing test as well as the concept of an ecosystem. There are no ethnic indicators in the text, but the illustrations reveal that Ada, her family, and bratty neighbor Milton are white; Nina appears to be Southeast Asian; and Mr. Peebles, an inventor who lives nearby, is black.
The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the chapter-book world. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8599-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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