Regan, Michael. Bad Days in Science and Invention.

Regan, Michael. Bad Days in Science and Invention. Capstone Publishers  2017  48p   $33.32  ISBN 978-1-4109-8563-7      ms  Nonfiction  E-BNS

What a brilliant idea for a series!  Capstone has a winner in this book that will be read by not only middle-school-aged students with pleasure, but also by an older audience with a bit of interest in the bizarre.  For example, in 210 BC, a Chinese emperor died young of mercury poisoning because he had hoped to find the formula to live forever.  Instead of finding eternal life, he was overdosed with mercury, which his doctors thought would prolong his life.  If the reader doesn’t think that one is bizarre enough, he/she can read about the bees brought from Africa that were supposed to solve Brazil’s bee problem. Instead, 26 queen bees escaped from their excluder, spread to North America, and wrought havoc by causing 40 human beings to die yearly.  Everyone knows how Alexander Fleming accidently discovered penicillin, but they might not know that ancient Egyptians used mold found on the outside of a loaf of bread to disinfect a cut!  And what a show there must have been in San Diego in 2012 when all 7000 fireworks were lit at once. Fact boxes appear throughout the volume and include items of interest such as these appear.  They add just a bit more to the text, which is already full of information about things that went wrong throughout history. With all of its bold colors and brilliantly displayed supporting photographs, as well as many other textual features, the layout is designed to keep the reader engaged.  The book ends with a few more facts listed as Fun Facts and a glossary of new vocabulary words.  Author Michael Regan has chosen the right variety of mishaps and errors to promote scientific research by his audience.  This is as good as it gets.  Students will be enthralled even if they are not young scientists . 

Whoops! A History of Bad Days is a series that includes books about bad days in battle, in exploration, in science and in sports.  Each volume offers many stories in keeping with the theme of things gone wrong.  Creative layouts, additional facts and stellar photographs and other visual aids support the text.  

Summary: Attempts at inventing sometimes do not produce the expected results.  Brilliant scientists’ ideas do not always deliver as promised.  Theories are tested only to take the theorist in a different direction.  What has resulted is often chaotic, often bizarre, and uniquely, often profitable for someone with greater vision than the inventor.  

Science, Invention                                                --Martha Squaresky

Brash, Lorna. Professor Cook’s Mind-Blowing Baking.

Brash, Lorna.  Professor Cook’s Mind-Blowing Baking.  Enslow      2013  32p   ISBN 978-0-7660-4303-9  elm/ms      E-BN  Nonfiction 

The kitchen is one of the best science labs in the world. We never think of it as science, but all the ingredients used in recipes cause reactions and change during the cooking stage when heat is applied.  This is also a basic fact of science experiments: when you mix chemicals together there are always reactions, and if you use heat, that can cause another reaction with quite different results.

The first example is the recipe for crimson velvet whoopie pies.  The whoopie pies use flour, butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and other ingredients, but the red color in the pies comes from the food coloring agent cochineal, or red food coloring.  Cochineal is a chemical extract made from beetles!  However, this is too simply said; you must read the scientific explanation to truly understand how it works.

Each recipe has an interesting “science bit” that will catch children’s attention even as they prepare the recipe.  Who says science isn’t fun?  This book will prove that there is a lot of science in the kitchen.  The recipes are easy to follow, with plenty of pictures and directions as well as fun facts. There are eleven fun recipes to make with children and to use as science projects.

The book includes a glossary, an index and useful web sites.  This series will create an interest in science as children learn that science is all around us and that it can be fun to learn how it is used in the kitchen to make delicious food.  Other books in the series include Professor Cook’s Dynamite Dinners, Professor Cook’s Fruity Desserts, and Professor Cook’s Smashing Snacks.

Summary: Science in the kitchen is what this book is all about.  Every recipe has a “science bit” that connects the cooking with the basics of science.              

Cookbooks, Science                                                --Magna Diaz

Stevenson, Emma. Hide-and-Seek Science: Animal Camouflage.

Stevenson, Emma.  Hide-and-Seek Science: Animal Camouflage.  Holiday House  2013  32p.    ISBN 978-0-8234-2293-7  elem E-BNe   Science    

This wonderful book combines lessons about camouflage with a sort of “where’s Waldo” kind of game, asking readers to find camouflaged animals in a variety of habitats.  It is beautifully illustrated and very informative.  Each two-page spread of gorgeous watercolor illustration is devoted to a specific habitat: rainforest, deciduous forest, desert, savannah, etc.  The reader is asked to find all the animals in the picture, some of whom are hard to see because of their camouflage.  On the following double-page spread the answers are given, along with detailed scientific information about the habitat and each animal.  Children will have fun with this book, looking at it with a friend or two, or sharing it with a favorite adult.  Finding the animals becomes a sort of game, but all the while the child is learning about a habitat or an animal.  The watercolors by the author are beautifully detailed and exquisitely rendered.  This is a must-have for an elementary classroom or library.

Summary: This wonderful book combines lessons about camouflage with a sort of “where’s Waldo” kind of game, asking readers to find camouflaged animals in a variety of habitats.  It is beautifully illustrated and very informative.             

Camouflage, Interactive books                         --Carol Kennedy

Adler, David A. Things That Float and Things That Don’t.

Adler, David A.   Things That Float and Things That Don’t.  Holiday House  2013  unp      ISBN 978-0-8234-2862-5    elem (Grades 1-4)      Hardback    E-BN  Science

With illustrations by Anna Raff showing children engaging in scientific experiments while wearing smiles, along with visually descriptive charts and weights, this book will engage the young scientist as well as those who ponder why some things float and others don’t.  Terms such as “cubic foot”, “density”, “displace” and “dissolve” are highlighted in the text with definitions embedded within sentences. Explanations are clear and concise, with real-life examples and safe science experiments that can be completed by children with minimal adult help.  This book presents a fantastic way to introduce readers to the theories of hydrostatics and buoyancy, regardless of the age of the reader.  It is strongly recommended for all elementary school library collections or as a gift for budding scientists.     

Summary: Easily comprehensible description and explanation of buoyancy, density, hydrostatics and displacement. Using readily available household items, young people can see and experience for themselves why some things float and other do not.                                                              --Lois McNicol

Newquist, HP. The Book of Blood.

Newquist, HP.  The Book of Blood.  Houghton Mifflin     152p  $17.99    978-0-547-31584-3 2012  hs    E-BN  Science          

This fascinating book takes a unique and impressive look at all the different aspects of blood.  It discusses the ancient history and science of blood, and explains how blood is made and used by the body, based on recent scientific findings.  Additionally, subjects such as vampires, sacrifices, and medieval practices and their use of blood are included.

Information is factual where applicable, and clear reports of myths and other beliefs are objectively covered.  In addition to the well-written, clear text, the book has a stunning visual appeal.  Splashes of red, representative of blood splatter, add to the entertaining gore and intrigue of the book.  Full-color photographs and illustrations are liberally interspersed throughout the book, providing clarity and interest on each page.  At the bottom of most pages there are additional tidbits of information or fun facts -- typed in blood-red of course.

H. P. Newquist has created a captivating and engaging Book of Blood.  This informative and engaging title is sure to delight teens and young-adult readers.  Not only is it fabulously entertaining, it is also an excellent resource tool, as it covers all aspects of blood, has a table of contents, and ends with a bibliography, list of websites for more information, and comprehensive index.

Blood                                                 --Virginia McGarvey

Orozco, Rebeca. It’s Our Nature.

Orozco, Rebeca.   It’s Our Nature.  Tundra Books  24p   $14.99    978-1-77049-283-7 2012  elem  E-BN        Science    

This is a delightful exploration of the character traits that the animal kingdom supposedly shares with humanity -- altruism, a sense of community, generosity, responsibility, trust, commitment, solidarity, brotherhood and tolerance.  While recognizing that this is a book about animals and their communities, what it really is to me is a beautiful and delightful book about humanity’s best traits ... the core values that make us better people.  Using some of the most interesting creatures found in the animal kingdom, the author really explains and explores these values to her readers.  Every person in the world should read this book, to recall the better part of themselves, or, if it is lost, to reclaim it.  The simply rendered illustrations fully enhance the text – this is anthropomorphism at its literary best.  Librarians, parents and grandparents will love reading this book to youngsters, and I’m certain that youngsters will love listening and eventually reading the book themselves.  It’s Our Nature is the kind of book that moves forward in the generations of a family.  Love it!        

Animals                                                     --Lynn Fisher