The Great Leopard Rescue: Saving the Amur Leopards
by
Sandra Markle Age Range: 9 - 12 years
Grade Level: 4 - 7
Library Binding: 48 pages
Publisher: Millbrook Press (August 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1467792470
ISBN-13: 978-1467792479
Publisher’s Blurb:
Amur leopards are the rarest big cats in the world. But thanks to
scientists' new, innovative efforts to study them and breed a reserve
population, these majestic cats have a chance.Stunning photography helps to introduce the reader to these amazing creatures. The science behind why they face extinction is told clearly at an appropriate level for the target audience. Because the recovery of the amur leopard is an on-going process, the ending is not neat and tidy, but it does offer hope for bringing the species back from the brink.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
Mind-Boggling Numbers
By Michael J. Rosen
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Series: Millbrook Picture Books
School & Library Binding: 32 pages
Publisher: Millbrook Press (August 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1467734896
ISBN-13: 978-1467734899
Publisher’s Blurb:
How many glasses of lemonade would fit in an Olympic-sized swimming pool? Find the answers to all sorts of mind-boggling math questions in this fun, engaging book.
My Thoughts:
Mind-boggling is right! The questions might seem basic, but the numbers that answer them are really, really big! Fun illustrations give context to the questions, and the actual mathematical process used to answer each question is included at the back, as well as metric conversion tables and suggestions for further reading. This is great fun for anyone who loves to think about crazy mathematical questions.
By Bathroom Readers’ Institute
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Portable Press (June 14, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1626865833
ISBN-13: 978-1626865839
Publisher’s Blurb:
This exciting title from the folks at the Bathroom Readers' Institute contains the strangest short history articles from over 30 Bathroom Readers—along with 50 all-new pages. From the 20th century to the Old West, from the Age of Enlightenment to the Dark Ages, from ancient cultures all the way back to the dawn of time, Strange History is overflowing with mysterious artifacts, macabre legends, kooky inventions, reality-challenged rulers, boneheaded blunders, and mind-blowing facts. Read about…
*The curse of Macbeth
*Stupid history: Hollywood style
*The secret LSD experiments of the 1960s
*In search of the lost “Cloud People” of Peru
*The Swedish queen who declared war on fleas
*Unearthing the past with the Outhouse Detectives
*The Apollo astronaut who swears he saw a UFO
*How to brew a batch of 5,000-year-old beer
*The brutal bloodbaths at Rome’s Coliseum
*Ghostly soup from ancient China
*The bathroom of the 1970s
And much, much more!
Over four hundred pages of the kind of stuff you might need to know if you’re ever on Jeopardy! Many of these historical facts are obscure, and some are just plain crazy. There is some reference to such things as emasculation, but despite some gross or violent episodes, there’s really nothing I couldn’t let my eight-year-old read if she is so inclined.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
DNA Detective
By Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Age Range: 12 - 14 years
Grade Level: 5 - 8
Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: Annick Press (August 7, 2015)
ISBN-10: 1554517737
ISBN-13: 978-1554517737
Publisher’s Blurb:
It’ll take a genetics genius to solve this crime ... In DNA Detective,
Lloyd Kyi unravels the mystery of our genetic blueprint. She explains the
basics of genetics in simple, clear language, and reveals the fascinating, and
frequently entertaining stories of the researchers who discovered pieces of the
DNA puzzle. As they learn the science of genes, readers will apply what they
learn at the end of each chapter in an engaging challenge: helping a young
detective eliminate suspects to solve a major crime, based on a real-world
case. Meet the genetics rock stars like Frederick Sanger, whose groundbreaking
research won him two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry; or Rosalind Franklin, who
created the first clear image of DNA. Discover why humans are more like flies
or mice than we’d like to admit, how to clone a sheep, and what palindromes
have to do with DNA. From genetically engineered pets to a dating app that
helps Icelanders avoid marrying their cousins, the world of DNA will surprise
and delight you. Full-color photographs complement the text, while Lil Crump’s
lively illustrations keep readers entertained.
My Thoughts:
This book is more about genetics than it is about solving a crime. The
lesson of each chapter is applied at the end of the chapter in eliminating
suspects in the jewelry store heist.
Genetics was my favorite part of my AP Biology class back in the early ‘80s,
so some of this material was familiar to me. But there was much more that I
hadn’t known before—not to mention that the field has made huge advances since I
took that AP exam over 30 years ago! The explanatory tone is just right, with
just enough levity. It does not come off sounding dumbed down.
Note that sperm and eggs and fertilization are mentioned, but not how
that fertilization actually takes place.
This is a great resource for a school science class. I think even
high-schoolers would enjoy it.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
Get a Move on, Neuron!
By Philip Kennedy
Print Length: 58 pages
Publisher: Choice Publishing (May 14, 2013)
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN:
B00CWTF2P0
Publisher’s Blurb:
“Get a move on Neuron” was born out of my desire to impart to young
people, my excitement and fascination for the workings of the human brain. And
instill in them a pioneering spirit and vision for future exploration. I’ve
simplified, as best I could, the incredible complexities of voluntary and
involuntary reasoning and function that occur in virtually every split second
of one’s day. By illustrating the role of our lovable neuron, I’ve taken a
routine event like Mom’s call to dinner, to provide a rudimentary glimpse into
this amazing chain reaction. I hope you enjoy the journey.
My Thoughts:
I feel like this could have been done better, although part of that may
be because my review e-book had a few display glitches. I think my biggest
quibble is that the language is oversimplified. I realize that my
eight-year-old is verbally advanced, but she likes to know the proper names for
things, not just calling parts of the brain “the feeling place,” etc. The
author does give those proper names, but continues to use the more generic
terminology.
Overall, the photography is beautiful, the explanation of the basics of
how the brain works is interesting (although it occasionally sounds
condescending), and we enjoyed the little quizzes at the end of each chapter.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
No comments:
Post a Comment