Kirkus Reviews QR Code
THE MISSING CUCKOO CLOCK  by Lynda Beauregard

THE MISSING CUCKOO CLOCK

A Mystery About Gravity

From the Summer Camp Science Mysteries series, volume 5

by Lynda Beauregard ; illustrated by Der-shing Helmer

Pub Date: April 1st, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4677-0733-6
Publisher: Graphic Universe

Summer-camp kids get (scientifically) physical.

Falling between a boxed definition of gravity and explanations of how that force interacts with others, the story is largely a framework for nonstop real-life demonstrations of gravity in action. Readers see it at work on clock weights, dripping water, a beach ball, random falling objects—and horse-mad new camper Megan, who falls a hair below the height requirement to ride in the afternoon, but (after a night spent lying down) measures a half-inch taller the next morning. Helmer supplies brightly colored cartoon panels featuring a multicultural crew of young campers engaged in general horseplay or watching in wide-eyed wonder as a counselor explains how a mechanical clock works or concocts simple physics demonstrations. Even the titular cuckoo clock swings past as just a MacGuffin for showing how a pendulum works.

Predominantly instructional, but light enough not to sink beneath the weight of its purpose.

(glossary, instructions for two experiments, URL for supplementary material) (Graphic fiction/nonfiction hybrid. 8-10)