WHAT HAPPENS WHEN...?

In a world of microwaves and instant-just-add-water, it's easy not to pause and think about where that water came from. Farndon, Fricker, and Harnden have created a visually entertaining format for simply stated, clearly defined explanations of the technology behind 13 ordinary processes, from flushing a toilet to posting a letter, from watching a weather forecast to ordering a pizza by phone. Numbered text makes it easy to follow the stages of electrical current on its way to a house or a newspaper from reporting to delivery; fold-out pages take readers behind the scenes in making a pizza and delivering a letter from the US to Australia. The busy, cutaway cartoon illustrations—a cross between Waldo and The Magic School Bus—are full of action, detail, and humor. Small people aid the demonstrations, shredding paper with giant scissors for recycling, or zooming on high-speed surfboard vehicles along the information superhighway. They are visual reminders that certain jobs are labor-intensive, and reinforce the notion that each intricate process is multifaceted. A wonderful place to stop wondering about the world and start understanding the way it works. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 6- 10)