The Horn Book Guide

SCIENCE

Smith, David J.

If...: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers

40 pp. | Kids Can | August, 2014 | Trade ISBN 978-1-894786-34-8 $18.95

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Adams. Smith "scales down" related, unfathomably large distances, time frames, or data (the history of Earth, all of the world's energy, life expectancy, etc.) to "things we can see, feel and touch," making the ideas comprehensible for kids. Playful, surrealistic art celebrates the book's imaginative concept and gives a visual reality to the comparisons. A note with activities is included. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox