Cut, Chop, and Stop: A Book About Wedges (Amazing Science: Simple Machines)
Grade 1-4–These simple concept books are full of pizzazz and wonderfully illustrated with digital graphics that show kids doing typical kid things. The lumberman on the cover ofCutmay not be as enticing as the active children depicted on the other titles. The book also has fewer internal pictures of youngsters, although there is a spread of a boy surrounded by wedges of cake, pie, and pizza. Other spreads depict and discuss doorstops, nails, and airplane wings. InRoll, skateboards, playground slides, and roller coasters are used as examples. Best of all isScoop, which clearly describes several versions of the lever, found in the playground, garage, and kitchen.Tiresdiscusses wheel sizes, gears, cranks, etc. Unfortunately, axles is misspelled on the cover. Each book has an activity and Fun Facts. The FactHound Web sites listed add more information, but dont take kids to any fun, interactive sites. If you have Sally HewittsMachines We Use(Childrens Press, 1998) or Anne Welsbachers Understanding Simple Machines series (Capstone, 2001), you may not need these books.–Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theLibrary Bindingedition.