Proceed with caution.
A book that includes instructions for pranks and the science behind how and why they work.
An introductory note to readers explains that evidence of pranks goes back hundreds of years and that one must be sure the victim is ready to be pranked before proceeding. Four sections follow. In “Making a Mess,” pranksters are taught the science of preparing exploding ketchup and erupting cola. In “Wanna Bet?” readers learn to use cheater’s dice and play mind games that make them appear clairvoyant. “Clean Classics” are for dedicated jokesters with time to prepare stunts, such as fake spills, ahead of time. “Messing With a Mind,” which involves subjects’ psychological responses, contains the least risky and perhaps most interesting proposals. Each prank is set up with a shopping list; ratings of how funny, messy, dangerous, and scientific it is; warnings to remember; and illustrated instructions. Two-page spreads offer notes on related science topics, ideas for taking the prank to the next level, and reflection questions for readers. While the variety of pranks may offer something for everyone, the collection is heavy on messiness. The (light) science is explained in a user-friendly way, offering some benefit as a fun way to learn. Many of the pranks will annoy and, if warnings are not heeded, may damage possessions; pranksters might learn as much about reading social cues as they do about science.
Proceed with caution. (glossary) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72822-374-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hot on the heels of the well-received Leonardo da Vinci (2005) comes another agreeably chatty entry in the Giants of Science series. Here the pioneering physicist is revealed as undeniably brilliant, but also cantankerous, mean-spirited, paranoid and possibly depressive. Newton’s youth and annus mirabilis receive respectful treatment, the solitude enforced by family estrangement and then the plague seen as critical to the development of his thoughtful, methodical approach. His subsequent squabbles with the rest of the scientific community—he refrained from publishing one treatise until his rival was dead—further support the image of Newton as a scientific lone wolf. Krull’s colloquial treatment sketches Newton’s advances in clearly understandable terms without bogging the text down with detailed explanations. A final chapter on “His Impact” places him squarely in the pantheon of great thinkers, arguing that both his insistence on the scientific method and his theories of physics have informed all subsequent scientific thought. A bibliography, web site and index round out the volume; the lack of detail on the use of sources is regrettable in an otherwise solid offering for middle-grade students. (Biography. 10-14)
Pub Date: April 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-670-05921-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
This glossy, colorful title in the “I Want To Be” series has visual appeal but poor organization and a fuzzy focus, which limits its usefulness. Each double-paged layout introduces a new topic with six to eight full-color photographs and a single column of text. Topics include types of environmentalists, eco-issues, waste renewal, education, High School of Environmental Studies, environmental vocabulary, history of environmentalism, famous environmentalists, and the return of the eagle. Often the photographs have little to do with the text or are marginal to the topic. For example, a typical layout called “Some Alternative Solutions” has five snapshots superimposed on a double-page photograph of a California wind farm. The text discusses ways to develop alternative forms of energy and “encourage environmentally friendly lifestyles.” Photos include “a healer who treats a patient with alternative therapy using sound and massage,” and “the Castle,” a house built of “used tires and aluminum cans.” Elsewhere, “Did You Know . . . ” shows a dramatic photo of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, but the text provides odd facts such as “ . . . that in Saudi Arabia there are solar-powered pay phones in the desert?” Some sections seem stuck in, a two-page piece on the effects of “El Niño” or 50 postage-stamp–sized photos of endangered species. The author concludes with places to write for more information and a list of photo credits. Pretty, but little here to warrant purchase. (Nonfiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-15-201862-X
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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