(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Theo Cobb. Vicki Cobb begins with in-depth discussions of the physical science underlying hurricane development and formation (air pressure, states of matter, and energy). She then turns to the technology used to model hurricane formation and the research that investigates the possibility--and potential downside--of tinkering with hurricanes to minimize their impact on developed areas. Many quality photographs and illustrated diagrams are included. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Body Battles series. Illustrated by Andrew N. Harris. Photographs by Dennis Kunkel. Vivid photomicrographs and humorous cartoons accompany lucid explanations of the human body's defenses. The second-person narration ("Don't you just hate to get a stomachache?") engages readers learning about familiar maladies. Texts also include a few simple activities (e.g., using a flashlight and mirror to examine protective nose hairs, gumming a cracker until it tastes sweet). Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Body Battles titles: Your Body Battles a Cold, Your Body Battles a Skinned Knee, and Your Body Battles a Stomachache.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Body Battles series. Illustrated by Andrew N. Harris. Photographs by Dennis Kunkel. Vivid photomicrographs and humorous cartoons accompany lucid explanations of the human body's defenses. The second-person narration ("Don't you just hate to get a stomachache?") engages readers learning about familiar maladies. Texts also include a few simple activities (e.g., using a flashlight and mirror to examine protective nose hairs, gumming a cracker until it tastes sweet). Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Body Battles titles: Your Body Battles a Cold, Your Body Battles a Skinned Knee, and Your Body Battles a Stomachache.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Body Battles series. Illustrated by Andrew N. Harris. Photographs by Dennis Kunkel. Vivid photomicrographs and humorous cartoons accompany lucid explanations of the human body's defenses. The second-person narration ("Don't you just hate to get a stomachache?") engages readers learning about familiar maladies. Texts also include a few simple activities (e.g., using a flashlight and mirror to examine protective nose hairs, gumming a cracker until it tastes sweet). Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Body Battles titles: Your Body Battles a Cold, Your Body Battles a Skinned Knee, and Your Body Battles a Stomachache.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. In this latest entry in the Science Play series, the concepts center on gravity, with questions and age-appropriate experiments and opportunities for observation that encourage young listeners to think like scientists. The sense of joy, highlighted in the rollicking illustrations, with sentences bounding across the pages, reinforces the concept that there is wonder in even the most everyday of occurrences.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Cobb uses a familiar experience--the push of wind on children and objects--to develop the concept of air being made of molecules. An interactive format guides adults and children through activities using common household objects; the text features well-posed questions and succinct explanations. The inventive layout and playful illustrations are a convincing invitation to investigate the science behind everyday experience.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2003

(3) K-3 Five Senses series. Illustrated by Cynthia C. Lewis. Hands-on activities and easy experiments combine with scientific and anatomical descriptions to invite kids to explore eyes, sight, and optical illusions. The illustrations, a combination of cartoon, collage, dialogue balloons, and goofy comments and captions, will further engage young readers.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Nine sections with such titles as "Meet the Magnet" contain definitions, explanations, and easy experiments related to magnetic, electrical, and gravitational fields. Cartoon drawings of the author and her sidekick-creature Igor enliven the material, sometimes frenetically; but the busy mix generally works well, even including historical bits among instructions for removing iron from cereal and making one's tongue into a magnet.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2002

(2) PS Illustrated by Julia Gorton. These books serve as guides for adults and children working together and are designed to be read for a few pages, set aside to conduct an activity, and returned to in order to make sense of what happened. The simple, well-conceived questions and explanations help young kids draw conclusions from their observations. The child-friendly, straightforward text is accompanied by bright and energetic illustrations. [Review covers these titles: I Get Wet and I See Myself.]

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2002

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Haefele. Nine sections with such titles as "Meet the Magnet" contain definitions, explanations, and easy experiments related to magnetic, electrical, and gravitational fields. Cartoon drawings of the author and her sidekick-creature Igor enliven the material, sometimes frenetically; but the busy mix generally works well, even including historical bits among instructions for removing iron from cereal and making one's tongue into a magnet.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Dave Klug. Filled with engaging experiments inspired by the human body, the supermarket, and toy, drug, hardware, and stationery stores, this book offers clear purposes, short instructions, complete lists of materials in sequence, labeled skill levels, and helpful blue-and-white illustrations to create a highly usable science text. An explanation follows each experiment. The busy design is tamed by consistent presentation. Ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Five Senses series. Illustrated by Cynthia C. Lewis. Cobb's lively style and loads of unusual, easy-to-execute experiments and activities allow kids to appreciate the many ways humans experience touch, as well as our ability to block this sense. The illustrations, a combination of cartoons, dialogue balloons, irreverent captions, and collage, will amuse young readers.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Haefele. Though the interaction between the narrator and her sidekick-creature Igor is corny at times, it effectively introduces basic principles of spinning and balance. Bright, generously sized cartoons clearly illustrate the simple experiments that demonstrate these points; materials required are quite basic, such as buttons, dental floss, and glue. A lighthearted tone in both prose and speech balloons permeates the text.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Five Senses series. Illustrated by Cynthia C. Lewis. Lots of hands-on activities and easy experiments invite readers to explore sound, normal human hearing, auditory illusions, and exceptional ears such as those with perfect pitch. Cobb uses questions and second-person address to engage readers with the facts. Kids will laugh at the illustrations: combinations of cartoons, collage, dialogue balloons, and goofy comments and captions.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Five Senses series. Illustrated by Cynthia Lewis. Lively writing describes how the taste and smell organs work and encourages readers to experiment on their own with different tastes and smells. The irreverent illustrations, a mixture of cartoons and collages made from old magazine photos, include visual jokes and funny asides that should be a hit with the target audience.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Five Senses series. Illustrated by Cynthia Lewis. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Haefele. Portrayed in Mad Magazine-style caricatures, the narrator V.C. and her sidekick Igor, a smart-mouth robot, lead readers through seven or eight experiments and offer explanations for the principles behind them. The consistently simple experiments are manageable, and the lighthearted tone supports accurate information. Though the illustrations are busy and somewhat garish, they convey facts and instructions effectively.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Haefele. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by True Kelley. Fifty simple (and cool) experiments, tricks, and activities are presented in accessible prose and playful black-and-white illustrations. The book teaches readers how to burn a candle under water, make square-shaped hard-boiled eggs, and create a bomb from a sandwich bag. All the activities require household objects, and the scientific concepts behind each experiment are clearly explained in a section called "Insider Information." Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Imagine Living Here series. Cobb's descriptions of the land, animals, and people of Eastern Africa, though somewhat romanticized, emphasize the interdependence of living things with one another and their environment. Animals are the primary focus, and the text covers the usual lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebras but also describes other birds and mammals that inhabit wildlife parks. Uninspiring illustrations include enough detail to distinguish among the different species described. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.