General Books - Page 2

A World in a Drop of Water: Exploring with a Microscope

Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein

Amazon Price: $4.95 List Price: $4.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $4.44

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Educational -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fascinating, but NOT a how-to manual. 4 out of 5 stars.
33 of 35 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent book describing the various life forms in a drop of pond water. It may well serve to make your child interested in using microscopes. In addition, there are a couple of pages about Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, who first made and described a microscope and what he could see with it.

But if your child is the owner of a new microscope, I recommend the Usborne book "The World of the Microscope" which will give you ideas for making your own slides and give tips for using the microscope.

For early-mid elementary aged kids, I also recommend "Greg's Microscope", which is a level 3 early reader that follows a young boy who yearns for a microscope, finally gets one, and learns to use it. THAT was the book that got my daughter to decide she wanted a microscope for Christmas!

Editorial Review:

A great introduction to the world of single-celled organisms, this inexpensive volume showcases an array of curious creatures: a blob-like amoeba; a slipper-shaped paramecium and its mortal enemy, the suctorian; the hydra and its crown of grasping tentacles; and many others. The authors recount the feeding, reproductive, and defensive strategies employed by these animals in easy-to-understand language that opens the door to a wonderful world of discovery. 1969 edition. 37 illus.

Science Experiments You Can Eat: Revised Edition

Vicki Cobb

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperCollins Amazon Marketplace: 65 new & used starting at $0.17

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Get your kids excited about science! 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

We discovered the original 1974 version of this book in our school library. After a quick perusal, we realized it was a fantastically fun way to teach kids science. The kids love the experiments and they are so easy to follow. Now, we use it everyday in our lesson planning in order to teach the scientific method. What a great way to use all five senses to make learning fun and real-world applicable!

Editorial Review:

Incredible Edible
Experiments

Ever wonder

what makes popcorn pop?

why cakes rise?

how jelly gels?

Your kitchen will be transformed into a laboratory worthy of a mad scientist as you make startling discoveries about how cabbage can detect acid, how bacteria makes yogurt, and how decomposed sugar turns to caramel. Then after a long day at the lab you can relax and eat your results: soup, biscuits, pretzels, cupcakes, or cookies.

Vicki Cobb's seminal book has been revised and updated to encompass advances in modern technology but still provides what all kids want: a legitimate excuse to play with their food!

The Sneaky Book for Boys: How to perfom sneaky magic tricks, escape a grasp, craft a c

Cy Tymony

Amazon Price: $8.79 List Price: $10.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $5.22

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General AAS
Subjects -> Outdoors & Nature -> Hiking & Camping -> Instructional

Editorial Review:

"Thank you, Cy . . . for opening up the world of tinkering and creativity to a whole new generation . . . looking to get their hands dirty with new and exciting projects." --NPR's Ira Flatow, host of Science Friday

It's The Dangerous Book for Boys meets Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook via The Boy Scouts of America Handbook--with lots of other cool sneaky boy stuff mixed in.

Cy Tymony's Sneaky Book for Boys picks up where The Dangerous Book for Boys left off. While The Dangerous Book for Boys includes sections on Morse code and an explanation of latitude and longitude, the Sneaky Book for Boys continues by featuring instructions on how to make and use a Morse code set, along with crafting a latitude quadrant and a longitude sextant.

This clever book provides complete how-to instructions and diagrams for sneaky gadgets, survival skills, magic tricks, communication codes, and science projects. It also explores sneaky animals and insects and recycling and conservation techniques.

Specifically, sneaksters will learn about crows that crack their nuts using car tires; how to perform magic tricks with algebra; how to construct a compass and sneaky intercom; how to escape a grasp, safely start a fire (six different ways!), gather water in an emergency, and much more.

Science in Seconds for Kids: Over 100 Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less

Jean Potter

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Jossey-Bass Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $3.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Pets -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Make lightning in your room! Keep paper dry under water! Lose weight by going upstairs! See colors that aren’t there! Experience the magic of science with these quick, easy experiments and activities from Jean Potter. You can complete each activity in ten fun-filled minutes or less. Clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations help you get it right every time. The projects help you learn about everything from why eggs aren’t round to how submarines surface and submerge. You will find most of the required materials already in your home, backyard, or neighborhood, and you can perform the experiments practically anywhere. The 108 activities in this book cover twelve different subject areas, including air, animals, energy, gravity, magnetism, light, the human body, and much more. You’ll make a rainbow right on your floor, pop a balloon with a magnifying glass, make a coffee can roll back to you after you’ve pushed it away, and bend water as it streams from your faucet—all with the help of a leading educator. Children Ages 8–12

The Way Science Works

Robin Kerrod, Dr. Sharon Ann Holgate

Amazon Price: $16.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK CHILDREN Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $10.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Shows younger folks just how much amazing fun science can be 5 out of 5 stars.
24 of 24 people found this review helpful.

Ideal for both classroom and homeschool curriculum supplementation, The Way Science Works is an exciting introduction for young readers to the deductive process of science and the marvels that mankind has discovered about the natural world. Offering more than sixty experiments and hands-on projects suitable for budding scientists age 10 and older (with safety precautions detailed where needed), The Way Science Works offers a fascinating glimpse into everything from the workings of the atom to understanding the true nature of gravity, to optical illusions and magnetism. Hundreds of excellent color photographs illustrate this superbly organized instructional reference. Although filled with fascinating revelations which would appeal to readers of all ages, The Way Science Works is particularly geared to show younger folks just how much amazing fun science can be!

Editorial Review:

The perfect introduction to how science explains the world around us!

Eye-opening experiments and exceptional photography bring science to life. Discover science in action from the principles that explain everyday occurrences to the theories behind the technology in today's fast-moving world. Test the theories in more than 100 hands-on projects. Next-generation visuals and cutting-edge content help illuminate key scientific developments. Packed full of facts about famous scientists, technology newsflashes, and more. An exciting way to keep ahead of the curriculum and discover science for yourself.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Lynne Cherry

Amazon Price: $20.48 List Price: $26.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sandpiper Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $8.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> Picture Books
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 45 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great Book about Animals In the Rainforest 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Both my 4 year old boy and my 7 year old girl like this book and so do I. It's a great way to introduce them to many of the different types of animals you could find in a rainforest. Great pictures!

The true story of the rianforest 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is truly inspiring for anyone that does not believe in saving the rainforests. The Great Kapok Tree really tells you from all the animals point of view on how the rianforest is their home. This timeless children's book is not just for little children it is for all to learn a lesson from what could become of the future or what people are destroying. In this book there is one man who is told to chop down this very big and old Kapok tree. He starts to wack and chop. After a little bit the man is worn out so he desides to just sit and rest for a little bit, but the sounds of the rainforest lulls him to sleep. One by one animals that depend on trees or have homes there come down and talk to the man whispering and telling of how the rainforest will soon destroy all life on earth because of the oxygen that the trees give us. When the man wakes up he now has a choice, he cqn listen to what the animals said or what the other bigger man told him to do... To find out read The Great Kapok Tree by: Lynne Cherry.

Editorial Review:

Exhausted from his labors, a man chopping down a great kapok tree in the Brazilian rain forest puts down his ax, and, as he sleeps, the animals who live in the tree plead with him not to destroy their world. "This modern fable with its urgent message contains an abundance of information."--The Horn Book

The World of the Microscope (Science and Experiments)

Chris Oxlade, Corinne Stockley

Amazon Price: $8.99 List Price: $8.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Usborne Books Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $4.52

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Good book 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

my 9 yr.old boy enjoyed this book. It explains in detail what a microscope is and how to use it!

Easy Carpentry Projects for Children

Jerome E. Leavitt

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $4.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Crafts & Hobbies

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Old book, old feel, old toys, old tools 4 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

I like the Dover books, which generally re-print older books on decent-enough paper for a low price. This book is no exception; it's an old-fashioned book that was originally published in the 1950s.

The projects all involve hand tools instead of power tools, although the modern equivalent (with appropriate supervision) could be substituted. I generally like the older tools, although they're slower and require more actual skill to use. Your junior woodworker should know how to read and have some basic familiarity with the tools (or some scrap lumber handy to figure out how to use them). Ideally, s/he would also have some basic familiarity with some of the concepts of woodworking, like the fact that you spend more time with the sandpaper than with the saw.

With a child old enough to figure out most of the directions on his/her own, I think this would work best for what the child development people call "parallel play:" your junior woodworker works independently on his (or her) project, and you work independently on your own unrelated project -- but in the same room or area. This approach allows independence and encourages problem-solving, while still letting you keep a carefully peeled eye to head off disasters (ideally without the child noticing how closely you're watching).

The major downside for the younger kids is that the there's nothing about woodworking that lends itself to instant success (or commercially slick achievements on a first try). Persistence, patience and a decent attention span are necessary for the completion of projects.

Here's the list of fifteen projects in this inexpensive book:

sailboat
bird feeder
hot dish coaster
steamboat
toy sled
tie rack
book rack
table lamp
clock shelf
candlesticks
towel holder
cart
birdhouse for a wren
shoeshine kit
flower box

To be honest, these projects may or may not interest your youngster, and unfortunately our media generation may not consider these projects exciting enough or impressive enough to justify all the time and energy they require. (Then they'll complain that everything these days is mass-produced plastic.)

As with all craft-y projects, you should consider what you could do with it when you're done. If the answer is "can't do anything with any of these," then perhaps you should look for a different book.

Editorial Review:

This unique woodworking primer teaches boys and girls age 7 and up basic carpentry skills through easy-to-make projects: bird feeder, sailboat, tie rack, flower box and 11 more. Young carpenters will beam with pride at having constructed useful objects to keep or give as presents to parents or friends. Over 100 black-and-white illustrations.

The Kid's Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, 'Read the Sky' & Make Predictions! (Williamson Kids Can! Series)

Mark Breen, Kathleen Friestad

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Williamson Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $5.97

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Crafts & Hobbies

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Kid's Weather 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

Fabulous! Mark Breen's new book helps kids and grown-ups understand how the weather works. He gives great instructions on how to build weather instruments. He gives lots of hints for predicting the weather, including looking out the window. The Weather Man's Song is a hit!

This author has actually met a child 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This book is a fabulous text for introducing the beginning "meterologist" to the weather. My children adore the hands-projects, illustrations, and the cartoons added for comic-relief. As a parent, I loved seeing my three children work together on a project. The excitement created in my home was a joy to watch. As a homeschooling parent, hearing them jump out of bed asking, "Can we do science first?" was delightful.

Editorial Review:

Kids discover what makes the weather tick and learn how to predict what's ahead. Activities include making equipment to measure rainfall, wind direction and speed, humidity, and barometric pressure; recording measurements and observations in a Weather Log; and simulating weather events to demonstrate the science behind them.

Howtoons: The Possibilities Are Endless!

Saul Griffith, Joost Bonsen

Amazon Price: $10.87 List Price: $15.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Collins Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $5.13

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Issues -> Social Skills

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Part comic strip and part science experiment, Howtoons shows children how to find imaginative new uses for common household items like soda bottles, duct tape, mop buckets, and more–to teach kids the "Tools of Mass Construction"!

Howtoons are cartoons that teach 8– to 15–year–old readers "how to" build, create, and explore things. Combining a fun, full–color cartoon format and real life science and engineering principles, Howtoons are designed to encourage kids to become active participants in the world around them.

Readers meet Tucker and Celine, a lovable brother and sister pair. Sick of watching TV and playing video games, Tucker and Celine decide to conquer every kid's nightmare: the dreaded summer o' boredom. Armed with countless ideas for fun projects, they set out to reclaim the sheer joy of playing. Fifteen practical, build–it–yourself projects are weaved into the Tucker and Celine storyline. With the narrators' help and clear step–by–step instructions, young readers will learn how to set up a workshop, create a marshmallow shooting gun, make ice cream without a freezer, play songs on a turkey baster flute, explore a homemade terrarium, launch a pressure–powered rocket, and more!

Utilizing inexpensive, kid–friendly materials, Howtoons will prove that the world at large is infinitely more exciting than anything happening on the TV or computer screen. Plus, each project will provide readers with practical skills and problem solving know–how that they can use in their everyday lives. These funny, interactive Howtoons are sure to inspire independence and creative savvy in young people everywhere.