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
There’s nothing rotten about this book—it’s a keeper.
The discoveries that arise from our flattened fauna will amaze you!
Montgomery’s story—part memoir, part scientific overview—begins with a squashed snake and follows her as she learns more and more about the animals she finds run over on the side of the road. Animals explored range from snakes to coyotes and deer, and although some international animals are discussed, the primary focus remains on those squished Stateside. For all the literal blood and guts, the tone of the book is light and slightly irreverent, but it never mocks either the animals or the scientists and volunteers who work with roadkill. Footnotes abound to help explain the occasional tangent or help readers understand more complex issues that are alluded to in the text. O’Malley’s black-and-white illustrations are peppered throughout the text, sometimes illustrating a moment from the text, sometimes providing a visual description of an animal, tool, or related object. The icing on the cake is the wealth of backmatter, which is divided into three sections: “Simple Acts Save Lives,” which provides practical tips for readers on how they can make an ecological impact; an annotated bibliography that’s divided by chapter, allowing browsers to find out more info on their specific interests; and an index.
There’s nothing rotten about this book—it’s a keeper. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-900-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
Debuting a new series, Krull presents a compelling argument that the great painter of the Renaissance was one of the West’s first real modern scientists. Into the stew of superstition that passed for scientific thought in medieval Europe was born Leonardo, illegitimate and therefore only very sketchily schooled, he grew up largely on his own, rambling around his family’s property and observing nature. The portrait that emerges is of a magpie mind: He studied and thought and wrote about very nearly everything. The breezy text draws heavily from Leonardo’s own writings, discussing his groundbreaking forays into anatomy, water management and flight, always propelled by a commitment to direct scientific observation. That Krull manages, in some 100-plus text pages, to present Leonardo’s scientific accomplishments while at the same time conveying a sense of the man himself—his probable homosexuality is presented frankly, as are his pacifism and the overriding opportunism that had him designing weapons of war for the Duke of Milan—is no mean feat and bodes well for the succeeding volumes in the series. (appendix, bibliography, Web sites, index) (Biography. 10-14)
Pub Date: July 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-670-05920-X
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2005
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