Reviews
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Caterpillars by Marilyn Singer
A colorful look at caterpillars — sometimes woolly, sometimes spotted, occasionally sporting fake faces — shows how they transform into delicate, winged insects. EarlyLight Books, 2011, 40 p., $14.95, ages 4–7
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Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun: 22 Super-Charged Projects for Kids by Michael J. Caduto
Do try these at home: Writing with the sun, powering a battery with a bicycle and creating mini-windmills are projects that help kids learn about renewable energy. Storey Publishing, 2011, 223 p., $16.95, ages 8–13
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What’s So Hot About Volcanoes (What’s So Cool About Geology) by Wendell A. Duffield
A volcanologist transports readers to Hawaii, Chile and Japan to show how volcanoes form, why they erupt and how scientists are trying to predict eruptions. Mountain Press, 2011, 89 p., $16, young adult
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You Just Can’t Help It!: Your Guide to the Wild and Wacky World of Human Behavior by Jeff Szpirglas
A teacher gives insight into human behavior by explaining the science behind involuntary reactions such as wrinkling the nose at a disgusting smell or laughing. Maple Tree, 2011, 64 p., $10.95, ages 9–12
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Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by Hena Khan and David Borgenicht
Kids must use their science know-how to navigate a mission to Mars in this choose-your-adventure book, picking up facts about space along the way. Chronicle Books, 2011, 204 p., $12.99, ages 8–12
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Eye-Popping 3-D Bugs: Phantogram Bugs You Can Practically Touch! by Barry Rothstein and Betsy Rothstein
Scientific facts about creepy crawlies boost this book’s real thrill —the phantogram images that make beetles, wasps and spiders pop off the page. Chronicle Books, 2011, 61 p., $19.99, ages 3 and up
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Digging for Troy: From Homer to Hisarlik by Jill Rubalcaba and Eric H. Cline
What starts off as a retelling of the epic tale of the Odyssey turns into a story about archaeologists’ hunt for Homer’s Troy in modern-day Turkey. Charlesbridge, 2011, 71 p., $17.95, ages 9–12
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Come See the Earth Turn by Lori Mortensen
Learn how Léon Foucault, a sickly child and poor student, grew up to design a simple experiment that demonstrated for the first time that the Earth rotates. Random House, 2010, 32 p., $17.99, ages 7–9
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Stuff That Scares Your Pants Off!: The Science Scoop on more than 30 Terrifying Phenomena! by Glenn Murphy
Statistics and scientific facts reassure kids that scary things —whether they be spiders, the dark or aliens — aren’t such a threat after all. Roaring Brook Press, 2011, 192 p., $14.99, ages 8–12
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BOOK REVIEW: Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window by Brian Clegg
Review by Sid Perkins.
