DID A DINOSAUR DRINK THIS WATER?

An engaging trip through the water cycle will have youngsters asking themselves if a dinosaur really did drink their water first. Wells expertly addresses his young audience, using simple language and defining key terms. Along with a description of the water cycle, students will learn about water’s three forms, and the fact that water is not new—its molecules have been around for billions of years, getting recycled and cleaned. Without water, the nutrients in the soil would not be dissolved, carried into plants and trees and made into food for people and animals. Wells’s cartoon illustrations capture the essence of what is, by and large, an invisible process. A look at habitats and the many uses for water, including drinking, recreation and hydroelectric power, addresses the need for conservation and protection. A final page focuses on the many ways water is at work: carving mountains and valleys, generating power in steam-powered turbines and moderating the Earth’s climate. Only a look at how and where we get the water we drink could have improved this title. An excellent resource for elementary students. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)