Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOOK REVIEW: The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scientists: The Coolest Experiments and Projects for Science Fairs and Family Fun by Ken Denmead

Review by Allison Bohac.

BOOK REVIEW: Global Warming and Political Intimidation by Raymond S. Bradley, and The Inquisition of Climate Science by James Lawrence Powell

Review by Janet Raloff.

BOOK REVIEW: Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window by Brian Clegg

Review by Sid Perkins.

Relics: Travels in Nature’s Time Machine by Piotr Naskrecki

Explore the world of modern species with ancient lineages in this collection of striking photographs. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2011, 342 p., $45

Models.Behaving.Badly: Why Confusing Illusion with Reality Can Lead to Disaster, on Wall Street and in Life by Emanuel Derman

A physicist and Wall Street strategist examines why people rely on models, economic or otherwise — and why that can be a bad idea. Free Press, 2011,231 p., $26

Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms by Eugenia Bone

A mouthwatering love letter to fungi from a food writer explores mushrooms as culinary delicacies, biofuels, hallu­cinogens and more. Rodale Books, 2011, 384 p., $25.99