by Kira Vermond ; illustrated by Suharu Ogawa ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021
A playful romp through multiple fields of science in which even silly questions lead to startling discoveries.
Substantial answers to 50 more science queries, from “When will they cure cancer?” to “Why do we have butts?”
Like the questions in Vermond and Ogawa’s Why Don’t Cars Run on Apple Juice? (2019), this fresh set, all posed by young visitors to the Ontario Science Centre, are backed up with full citations to the sources of the answers so that skeptical (or interested) readers can check for themselves. This comes in handy when the answers are complicated, such as the one about curing cancer, or when the questions are trick ones, like “Why do dogs see in black and white?” (“They don’t”) or “Why is there no gravity in space?” (“there is”). In line with her observation that scientists “actually get paid to play,” Vermond keeps the tone light and the language nontechnical throughout. Ogawa reciprocates with cartoon illustrations that feature button-eyed animals with animated expressions mixing with a notably pluralistic array of human figures (including a bald child and people of various ages in wheelchairs) who not only display a broad range of skin colors, but dress diversely enough to include the occasional hijab or turban. “Science,” the author writes, “is sewn into the very fabric of who we are as humans.” Even casual readers will come away knowing a little more about themselves and the world around them as well as understanding that, willy-nilly, we are all doing science all the time.
A playful romp through multiple fields of science in which even silly questions lead to startling discoveries. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-11)Pub Date: March 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77321-501-3
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
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by Kira Vermond ; illustrated by Clayton Hanmer
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by Alexandra Siy ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2001
In this glossy photo essay, the author briefly recounts the study and exploration of the moon, beginning with Stonehenge and concluding with the 1998–99 unmanned probe, Lunar Prospector. Most of the dramatic photographs come from NASA and will introduce a new generation of space enthusiasts to the past missions of Project Mercury, Gemini, and most especially the moon missions, Apollo 1–17. There are plenty of photographs of various astronauts in space capsules, space suits, and walking on the moon. Sometimes photographs are superimposed one on another, making it difficult to read. For example, one photograph shows the command module Columbia as photographed from the lunar module and an insert shows the 15-layer space suit and gear Neil Armstrong would wear for moonwalking. That’s a lot to process on one page. Still, the awesome images of footprints on the moon, raising the American flag, and earthrise from the moon, cannot help but raise shivers. The author concludes with a timeline of exploration, Web sites, recommended books, and picture credits. For NASA memorabilia collectors, end papers show the Apollo space badges for missions 11–17. Useful for replacing aging space titles. (Nonfiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-57091-408-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2001
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by Alexandra Siy ; illustrated by Marlo Garnsworthy
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by Elaine Landau ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2011
The cleanup, finger pointing, litigation and economic recovery are still ongoing, but this overview of the Deepwater Horizon disaster offers a short and coherent account of the spill itself, the well’s eventual capping and, in broad strokes, the immediate environmental impact. Noting that the initial explosion occurred the very night of a ceremony commending the crew’s safety record (but not going into the long tally of construction shortcuts that made that ceremony so disingenuous), Landau provides a linear nonjudgmental account of major events between the April 20 eruption and the announcement of a permanent plug on Sep. 19, 2010. Big color photos add views of the platform burning, ships cleaning up oil slicks, oil-soaked wildlife and damaged coastal areas, along with smaller murky pictures of the failed blowout preventer on the ocean floor and the replacement cap. Additional graphics provide clear views of the technology—the rig itself, a cross-section of the blowout preventer and the relief well in relation to the original well—and a map of the Gulf coastline shows the affected areas. Limited, out of date and entirely based on secondary sources as it is, this still presents younger audiences a slightly more complete picture than Mona Chiang’s Oil Spill Disaster (2000). Includes eco-activities, resource lists and a tally of other major spills. (Nonfiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-7485-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2011
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