Book Description

This popular series opens a window on the natural and scientific world for young readers through the use of painted windows that dramatically reveal, page by page, the wonders of the physical and natural world.

See-through windows in Our Solar System transport kids from the blazing sun to distant, icy Pluto . . . and beyond. Information bars at the top of each page highlight important facts, while stunning illustrations and photographs make the complicated aspects of space fun and accessible. The foreword is provided by NASA.

Dimensions (inches): 8 1/4 x 11 1/4 ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Attractive, but light on information
This handsome book is a great introduction to the planets for the young reader. The pages are hard, cardboard-like, each with a clear plastic "window" that contains a drawing of the planet being discussed. When the book is closed, then all of the planets are visible at the same time. Each planet is covered with about a page worth of information.

This book is very attractive, and is a good resource for young children. However, I must make clear that there is very little information here, which means that older students will not find this book useful. Contrary to the recommended reading level of 9-12, I would suggest that this book would be most valuable for reader between the levels of 7-9; my seven-year old son enjoyed this book immensely. So, I would give this book a qualified recommendation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whether your favorite middle or high-school student is interested in thedemonstrating the greenhouse effect (with shoeboxes, soil, and plasticfood wrap), sympathetic vibration (with a couple of soda bottles), orthe breathing rate of goldfish, former science teacher Janice VanCleaveprovides helpful advice for designing experiments to impress judges atthe science fair. In the first section, the author explains theimportance of understanding the scientific method, selecting a topic,identifying its category, research, overview, experimental data, projectsummaries, the display, and presentation and evaluation. The second partof the book offers project ideas for 35 science fair topics within thecategories of astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics,stressing that "The point is not to copy the projects in this book butto use them as exploratory experiments...." Each experiment is clearlypresented with a brief introduction, a statement of purpose, a list ofneeded materials, a step-by-step procedure, a description andexplanation of the results, and ideas for taking the experiment indifferent directions. Nine appendices provide additional information onrandom error of measurement, percentage error, sources of scientificsupplies, and more, and a glossary and index conclude the book.VanCleave comes through again with this inspiring, no-nonsense resourcefor science fair participants. (Ages 11 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Non-Fiction Book for Young Readers and Pre-Readers
This book is a very interesting short explanation of the processes involved in making blue jeans. It uses simple words, but is not a dumbed-down narrative. It's great for that budding process engineer in your household - the one whose favorite question isn't "Why?", but "How?"

The book is illustrated with a variety of stock photographs, many with children as the focal point. This helps grab and maintain youngsters' interest.

Since blue jeans are a common item in most kids' lives, this overview of where they come from can serve as a springboard for many interesting discussions of where other everyday things come from.

The book does contain some unfamiliar words, but at about one sentence per page, the book will not frustrate newer readers - probably 2nd grade level or advanced 1st grade level. It's also a great book for reading to younger kids.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

IF YOU COULD ASK A NOBEL PRIZE WINNER ANYTHING YOU WANTED...

Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has honored the world's great geniuses in the most important fields: physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, economics, and world peace. What if children could ask these creative thinkers about some of life's most intriguing mysteries, such as "Why can't I live on french fries?" and "What is love?" The answers from the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Peres, Desmond Tutu, and seventeen other Nobel Prize laureates are rich with surprise, humor, and of course, wisdom. Every single answer will make you think...and learn something new.

WHAT IS LOVE?
The Dalai Lama

WHY CAN'T I LIVE ON FRENCH FRIES?
Richard J. Roberts

WHAT IS POLITICS?
Shimon Peres

WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?
Mario J. Molina

WHY DO I FORGET SOME THINGS AND NOT OTHERS?
Erwin Neher

WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL?
Kenzaburo Oe

WHY IS THERE WAR?
Desmond Tutu

WHY DO WE FEEL PAIN?
Günter Blobel

HOW DO I WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE?
Mikhail Gorbachev

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE RICH AND OTHERS POOR?
Daniel L. McFadden

...AND ELEVEN OTHER RESPONSES ... Read more

Book Description

Written for students of introductory physics, this best-selling text offers students an upbeat, non-threatening overview of the discipline which focuses on concepts and critical thinking rather than number-crunching. It presents physics in a language students can comprehend, using analogies and mental imagery based on real world situations. Mathematical equations, formulas, and calculations appear as a footnote on the page to reference and supplement chapter concepts and help students see the connection between math and science. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

"Hand-waving" Physics
Two years ago, my daughter took a high-school physics course based on this book.She is mathematically able and found the whole approach extremely frustrating.The fact is that much of modern mathematics -- differential calculus is a prime example -- was developed specifically so that physicists could articulate their ideas.The "conceptual" approach may be OK for pop-science TV shows, but it is worse that useless as an education for anyone who wants to pursue a career in engineering or science.Now entering 12th grade, my daughter is faced with a major catch-up exercise if she wants to get into a worthwhile engineering program at college. Her school doesn't offer AP Physics, largely because the "conceptual" approach they started out with doesn't adequately prepare students to move to AP level.So she is spending a big chunk of time this summer on a distance-learning course that actually presents physics as a mathematical science, which is what it is.Quite honestly, I think this book should be titled "Armchair Physics" or "Physics for People who Don't Really Care about Physics" -- it should certainly not be presented as a serious attempt to teach a scientific subject.

Want to teach yourself physics?
I would imagine that the answer to my subject heading is, for most people, NO! But for me it was YES!, as I'd never had a physics class, and it was essential, for research that I am conducting, that I have slightly more than an elementary grasp of physics. I turned to this book, and am glad that I did.

This book, thankfully, is written in conceptual terms. There are few equations - because equations are necessary in science - but you don't need to know calculus or trigonometry to read this book and walk away with a solid foundation.

The author has a clear and easy tone about his writing, and breaks complex concepts down into their simple building blocks so that a typical layperson can understand. I know - because I'm as typical a layperson as they come regarding the sciences.

I can't recommend this highly enough.

Fiziks
We all know that Physics is a tough sport. But Paul Hewitt does a marvelous job describing complex issues in fairly easy to comprehend terms (not touching at all on calculations). This book also covers a wide spectrum of information about the world, from the intricate properties of electrons to color to Newton's laws of motion. I keep waiting for the price of this book to go down so I can buy it again to keep as a reference (I had used it with a college course previous). Worth having if you're one of those who loves reading about how things work.

The accompanying workbook is nice, but only if you're going to be quizzed on this sort of stuff. Other than that, it isn't that great a deal.

Excellent Service
I absolutely loved the service provided. I received the books 10 days early and in mint condition!!! Excellent job.

Wonderful primer or review...
This book manifests the proper perspective for both introducing students to physics and for refreshing those long out of college, or just anyone who wants to learn the essentials but does not have advanced math skills.

In this textbook for introductory physics, the author takes a wise approach by presenting the essential nuts-&-bolts of physics concepts. The concepts and principles should always come before the actual applications, i.e., involving the "math". Mathematics is certainly vital in physics, but any science book (or study course) needs to establish a foundation before proceeding with complex (and often confusing) calculations.

This publication has helped me immensely and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great book for scout leaders
gizmos and gadgets contains easy, readable information on scientific principles along with appropriate, fun, hands-on experiements. Makes for great reading for scout leaders, teachers or those who like to mess around at home with their kids. Good addition to any library. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book for young experimenters
The book is great for young experimenters. Easy to follow instructions and clever writing get kids into the 'science is fun' mindset. The 'Food for thought' section that accompanies each activity explains the science behind the activity clearly and with the right amount of detail for the intended audience. (Tested on my 10-year-old son). Each activity concludes with a 'More to chew on' section that enables kids to relate what they've observed to other examples of the same principle. Many of the activities focusing on static electricity, air pressure and buoyancy could be used for elementary school science fair projects. There is an awesome demonstration of center of gravity. Other activities deal with sense of touch, taste and smell. There are a couple of activities exploring optics. The scientific method and related concepts are introduced. The illustrations are extremely helpful in diagramming the text. Older kids (and adults) will enjoy the reading for the subtle titles like 'Stop Making Cents' and 'A Salt and Gravity'. ... Read more

Book Description

White light and color, recording sound and light, and the light-bending properties of mirrors, prisms, and lenses are all explored in 40 hands-on, fascinating experiments. ... Read more

Book Description

Made for those two moments in the day when parents and young children spend quality time together, here are two marvelous gifts-two innovative additions to the bestselling BRAIN QUEST series, each combining a single full-color deck with an adorable animal companion.

BRAIN QUEST BATHTIME offers 10 original poems and stories and over 100 questions and answers on the very subjects kids want to talk about while splashing around in the tub with Mom or Dad keeping them company. Is there such a thing as a flying fish? How many legs does an octopus have? Is sea water salty or sweet? There is silly stuff-say "toy boat" five times fast; "Little Scientist"-what would happen to an ice cube if it fell into your warm tub?; and questions about the human body and basic health. The deck is printed on waterproof paper and comes packaged with a yellow terrycloth duck that doubles as a bath mitt (and often appears in the illustrations). See also Brain Quest Bedtime. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun in or out of the bathtub
I am a fan of Brain Quest products, but wasn't sure about this one. Basically, I wasn't sure what level it would be on. It is great fun for my almost 5 year old. There are lots of interesting science realted ideas in the book, such as: If an ice cube fell into the warm water in the tub, what would happen to it? or Which is heavier- a dry washcloth or a wet washcloth? There are jokes, poems and rhymes too. The waterproof paper makes it quite sturdy as well. Oh yes. My daughter loves the little duck washcloth puppet as well and plays with him out of the tub as well as in! ... Read more

Book Description

Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow?

Probably not. Butterflies can't survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate. Woodchucks don't like cold weather either but they don't migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. Read and find out how other animals cope with winter's worst weather.

Reviews (1)

Rabbits Squirrels and Chipmunks
Title;Rabbits Squirrels and Chipmunks Author; Bancroft I think that this book is good for children 7 and up,and has lots factual things about Rabbits Squirrels and Chipmunks ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a GOOD BOOK!
THIS IS A GOOD BOOK. YOU WILL NOT REGRET FOR BUYING THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK INDICATES YOU ALOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING AN EXPERIMENT IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD. ... Read more

Book Description

Get in Gear, the first book in the groundbreaking Hands-On Science™ series, takes the concept of transferring motion through the use of gears and presents it in a kid-friendly way! Guided by Doc Sprocket, a robot who lives in a junkyard, kids can build wacky gear contraptions directly on the pages, using real gears that are stored in a special tray at the back of the book. Once the gears and parts are in place, switch on the built-in motor and watch the gears move. On the last page, kids can use their imagination and build endless contraptions of their own!

Open Get in Gear and find:

· A real electric motor with replaceable batteries
· 19 working gears and parts
· Loads of contraptions to build
· Color-coding for easy assembly
· Simple-to-read text
· Amazing facts about gears
· A Planetary Picture Producer to make spiral designs
· Create your own original designs
· A handy tray to store all gears and parts ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great activities!
This book is wonderful! I got it for my 7-year-old daughter, and she immediately sat down to work. This books takes kids from the basic idea of how gears work, through all the every day uses gears have. She absolutely loved the book! ... Read more