What If: Mind-Boggling Science Questions for Kids
Grade 5-7-A collection of provocative questions, lively answers, and connected activities. The 70 questions are organized by broad topics: the Earth, weather and climate, forces and energy, light and sound, time, inventions, plants and animals, people and animals, the sun and the moon, other planets, and the stars. The inquiries are answered on two-page spreads illustrated with black-and-white cartoons, and are sometimes accompanied by a suggested activity, a further explanation of some point, or additional questions to think about. While each "What if" stands alone, making the book useful for classroom teachers who might want to use one as an introduction or check on the understanding of concepts they've introduced, children who read the whole book will find ideas revisited and connections made. The explanations are short and readable but scientifically solid and take into account new advances, e.g., the cloning of a sheep. The humor should appeal to middle graders, although more concrete thinkers may be confused by comparisons such as, on Mercury, it's "...hot enough...to bake a pizza." This engaging book will appeal to science buffs and be particularly useful in school libraries.Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DCCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.