Science

Virginia Wouldn’t Slow Down: The Unstoppable Dr. Apgar and Her Life-Saving Invention by Carrie A. Pearson, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Norton Young Readers

Summary:  Ginny Apgar was an active child, shunning traditional female pursuits and curious about the world around her.  She decided to become a doctor, specializing in the relatively new practice of anesthesiology, and eventually became the second woman to be board certified in the field.  Working in the delivery room, she noticed that doctors and nurses were usually more focused on the mothers than the babies, whose needs for breathing assistance often went unnoticed.  Ginny started paying attention to the babies, using her knowledge as an anesthesiologist to help them.  When a young doctor asked her for signs of health in a newborn, she quickly scribbled down the five markers she checked for.  Ginny’s last name lent itself to the acronym that became a test for newborn health, and today most babies receive an APGAR score within minutes of birth.  Includes an author’s note with additional information, a timeline, and a couple of photos.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  I didn’t expect to find this book so engaging, featuring a woman who dealt with career obstacles (she had to give up her dream of becoming a surgeon due to financial constraints) but went on to make a huge contribution to medicine.  She sounds like a real character, and as a New Jersey native who often traveled on the Garden State Parkway before the age of E-ZPass, I particularly appreciated the special gun she had for firing quarters at toll booths so she wouldn’t have to slow down.

Cons:  This may not be a topic kids will be drawn to on their own.

Two books about birds

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How to Bird by Rasha Hamid

Published by Free Spirit Publishing

How Birds Sleep by David Obuchowski, illustrated by Sarah Pedry

Published by minedition

Summary: These two books about birds encourage kids to be curious about the world around them. In How Birds Sleep, the author and illustrator explore the unusual ways birds slumber, including sleeping while flying, hanging upside down, or standing on one leg. Each page or spread has an illustration of the resting bird, labeled, with a few sentences of text. The back matter includes additional information about birds’ sleep, the effects of climate change, and how the book came to be written. While there hasn’t been a lot written on the topic, there are three additional resources listed.

How to Bird is a bright, colorful celebration of birding, illustrated with photos of kids getting out in the city to observe the birds. Different birders have different superpowers, such as keen observation, good listening, and fast counting. The emphasis is on the fun and easy accessibility of birding, which requires little more than being curious and getting outside. Includes an author’s note, a list of questions to think about, birding words with definitions, and additional resources. Both books are 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: I love how both authors encourage kids to go outside and look at the world around them. The illustrations in both books are eye-catching and add to the appeal of birds and birdwatching, and the additional information at the end makes them both great resources for older readers.

Cons: I was curious as to how long birds sleep each night, but that wasn’t covered.

How to Eat in Space by Helen Taylor, illustrated by Stevie Lewis

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  You can’t eat everything in space, but the options have improved considerably since the early days of space travel.  It’s a whole different experience from Earth eating, though, and this book gives lots of good tips.  Water is at a premium and can’t be poured.  Burping in space can have some pretty unpleasant consequences.  Floating crumbs can become a menace on board the spaceship. From cooking to doing dishes to growing your own food, there are plenty of details here that are sure to intrigue kids.  Includes three pages of additional information, along with additional resources and a list of sources.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Life in space is a fascinating topic, and this book provides a wealth of interesting information presented with a chatty tone and appealing illustrations.

Cons:  Reading this made me realize how much I take gravity for granted.

Stone Age Beasts by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Following a four-page introduction to the Stone Age, the book gets down to business with a series of two-page spreads on some of the large animals of the era.  Each one includes a portrait with a few paragraphs of information and some sidebars, including one with fast facts, a map showing the animal’s range, and a size comparison to a human.  There are old favorites like the woolly mammoth and saber-toothed cat, along with some that may be less familiar, such as the elephant bird and giant short-faced kangaroo.  A final page looks at why the animals disappeared and how we learned about them.  Includes a glossary.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Dinosaur fans will enjoy learning about gigantic beasts from another time period, particularly the ferocious illustrations that dominate each page.  The information is engagingly written and presented.

Cons:  The Stone Age seems scary.

When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Rise x Penguin Workshop

Summary:  In 11 very short chapters, readers learn about the moon–how it was created, its orbit, craters, phases of the moon, and its relationship to Earth.  Most chapters are just a few sentences, illustrated with colorful anthropomorphized celestial bodies that talk with cartoon bubbles.  Kids will gain a greater appreciation for the moon and its effects on Earth and may be inspired to dream of traveling there some day after reading the final chapter on space exploration.  64 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Fans of Stacy McAnulty’s Our Universe series will enjoy this book with its colorful illustrations and humorous, easy-to-understand information.  

Cons:  No back matter? Lunacy.

Fungi Grow by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Diana Sudyka

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Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  There are lots of books about plants’ life cycles, but this one focuses on fungi, which grow from spores, not seeds.  The text begins with how the spores travel and reproduce, then describes all kinds of fungi, showing readers a colorful array that they can see, as well as cutaways that show the underground fungal world.  Specific species are described in greater detail with a smaller font.  Fungi can be poisonous, but they can also help humans in a variety of ways.  Includes additional information and a glossary, list of sources, and additional resources.  48 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  A fascinating and beautiful look at a wide range of species that many readers may have noticed in passing but will now have reason to examine more closely.  Diana Sudyka is one of my new favorite illustrators this year, illuminating the text with bursts of colorful mushrooms and other fungi.  

Cons:  The zombie ant fungus may give you nightmares.

The Snow Man by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Jeannette Winter

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Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  When he first came to the mountain, he lived in an abandoned shack with no electricity or running water.  Eventually, he built himself a house with solar panels and a greenhouse.  Boredom drove him to start measuring and recording the natural world around him: snowfall, the return of animals in the spring, the first wildflower blossoms.  In between, he would chop wood, watch movies, and ski to town and back for supplies (800 miles every winter).  He stayed for many years and began to notice patterns: less snow, earlier springs.  When he shared his information with a scientist, the scientist was amazed at his painstaking records that showed the patterns of climate change.  Older now, he no longer chops wood or skis, but he continues his record-keeping on animals, plants, and–for now–snow.  Includes additional information about billy barr, a man who has spent most of his life living a solitary existence in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado; also, a short list of additional resources. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fascinating story about a man who chose an unconventional path in life but has found a way to make a difference in the world, observing climate change before much of the rest of the world did. 

Cons:  The story is a little confusing without the context given in the author’s note, so you might want to read that first.

The City Tree by Shira Boss, illustrated by Lorena Alvarez

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Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Dani lives in a city apartment building with a big hole in front of it.  One day, a truck pulls up with a tree that gets planted in that hole.  The tree brings positive changes to Dani’s world, as birds’ chirping replaces traffic noise outside her window, and the sound of rustling leaves adds a calming note to the busy pace of the city.  Although Dani enjoys the bigger trees in the park, her tree is special.  It changes with the seasons and with different types of weather.  Dogs and people passing by are not always kind to the tree, so Dani and her friends learn how to help it, and in return, the tree becomes an important part of the neighborhood.  Includes additional information about how street trees help people, how people can help them, and a list of resources.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A lovely introduction to the benefits of urban trees, with brilliantly colored illustrations filled with details of Dani’s neighborhood that kids will enjoy tracking from one page to the next.  The back matter makes it a great resource for all ages.

Cons:  The tree seemed to grow at a supernaturally fast rate.

What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? And Other Questions About Moths and Butterflies by Rachel Ignotofsky

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  From egg to caterpillar to pupa (called a cocoon for moths and a chrysalis for butterflies), butterflies and moths have similar life cycles.  Readers will learn the intriguing answer to the title question, as well as answers to many other questions about butterflies and moths.  Detailed illustrations portray a wide range of caterpillars, butterflies, and moths with labels to identify each one.  In addition to the life cycle, there is plenty of fascinating information about anatomy, food, defenses, and more.  Includes a page of sources and resources.  48 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  I missed last year’s What’s Inside a Flower? and am delighted that I discovered this beautiful and informative science book.  The illustrations are unique and detailed, containing at least as much information as the text.  Just as I was wishing I knew the differences between butterflies and moths, I turned the page to discover a detailed comparison suitable for framing and hanging in the science corner.

Cons:  This book seemed a little long for the intended audience.  With so much information, you might want to break it up into several sections and read one at a time.

Follow the Flyway: The Marvel of Bird Migration by Sarah Nelson, illustrated by Maya Hanisch

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Published by Barefoot Books

Summary:  The text follows a variety of birds, starting with hatchlings emerging from eggs, and continuing as those babies learn to fly.  By the time autumn comes, they are strong enough flyers to join the flyway of birds migrating to warmer places.  Flying in groups of all sizes, they head south, stopping for a week or two to rest until the cold catches up and sends them on their way.  When they reach the ocean, they settle in and wait until spring arrives to call them back north again.  Includes additional information about bird migration, including ways to help migratory birds; a map of the four North American flyways; thumbnail portraits and additional information about the twelve birds in the book; and sources of additional information.  32 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  A great introduction to bird migration, with poetic text and lots of interesting pictures of a variety of birds.  The back matter makes it a good resource to begin further research.

Cons:  The only birds covered were water birds.