The latest in the Jump Into Science series is a sure winner for future astronomers and their stargazing parents. Tomecek (Dirt, 2002, etc.) and newcomer Yoshikawa make an excellent duo in rendering concepts understandable to young readers. In simple language, Tomecek presents the major facts about the stars in our sky. For example: why they seem to disappear when the sky is bright, how far away they are, why some are brighter than others, and why it looks like the stars travel around the earth each day. Young readers are given enough to whet their appetites, especially when it comes to the constellations. A flashlight activity at the end helps children understand the idea that the farther away a star is, the dimmer it will appear to us here on Earth. Yoshikawa has personalized the reader’s journey through the sky by providing a guide: a young boy and his canine companion. Although the boy spends a considerable amount of time looking puzzled, and the dog amazed, together with the vivid colors and detailed borders, they draw children in and focus their attention on the concepts. Two drawbacks: the diagram of distances from the earth to several stars is not even close to scale (noted in the text), and the page detailing constellations in the southern hemisphere is printed upside down—a neat idea, but rather annoying to readers. Overall a solid foundation for future astronomy studies. (Nonfiction. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-7922-6955-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2003
An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way.
A young boy sees things a little differently than others.
Noah can see patterns in the dust when it sparkles in the sunlight. And if he puts his nose to the ground, he can smell the “green tang of the ants in the grass.” His most favorite thing of all, however, is to read. Noah has endless curiosity about how and why things work. Books open the door to those answers. But there is one question the books do not explain. When the wind comes whistling by, where does it go? Noah decides to find out. In a chase that has a slight element of danger—wind, after all, is unpredictable—Noah runs down streets, across bridges, near a highway, until the wind lifts him off his feet. Cowman’s gusty wisps show each stream of air turning a different jewel tone, swirling all around. The ribbons gently bring Noah home, setting him down under the same thinking tree where he began. Did it really happen? Worthington’s sensitive exploration leaves readers with their own set of questions and perhaps gratitude for all types of perspective. An author’s note mentions children on the autism spectrum but widens to include all who feel a little different.
An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-60554-356-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Redleaf Lane
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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