An intriguing, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of common objects.
From sundae cups to gemstones, descriptions of the making of 54 items.
This collection begins with an explanation of some common manufacturing processes: molding, milling, soldering, assembly, and two types of welding. What follows is a selection of summarized episodes of a long-running Science Channel series, grouped by category: food, sports, science and technology, music, art, vehicles, and a catchall chapter entitled “just for fun.” Each section contains descriptions of the creation of objects as disparate as foosball tables, solar panels, electric guitars, and high-end motorcycles, in one or two double-page spreads. The text basically comes from the scripts of the relevant episodes, which are clearly aimed at a general audience. The photographs, stills from the episodes, can’t supply as much information as the series does. Since even the text is summary, it may leave readers confused at times. Steps are skipped in the crayon-making and saxophone construction processes, for example. And for the entry on sundae cups, an image described as “the chocolate mixture being blended before it is poured into the tote” is actually the crumbled chocolate that tops the sundaes. On the other hand, the text includes clear definitions of specific words pertinent to each process, some ancillary information, and occasional do-it-yourself activities. The lively design is inviting, and the choice of subjects includes something for everyone. The photos are accompanied by cartoon illustrations; humans depicted are diverse.
An intriguing, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of common objects. (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5375-6
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both.
Flash, Batman, and other characters from the DC Comics universe tackle supervillains and STEM-related topics and sometimes, both.
Credited to 20 writers and illustrators in various combinations, the 10 episodes invite readers to tag along as Mera and Aquaman visit oceanic zones from epipelagic to hadalpelagic; Supergirl helps a young scholar pick a science-project topic by taking her on a tour of the solar system; and Swamp Thing lends Poison Ivy a hand to describe how DNA works (later joining Swamp Kid to scuttle a climate-altering scheme by Arcane). In other episodes, various costumed creations explain the ins and outs of diverse large- and small-scale phenomena, including electricity, atomic structure, forensic techniques, 3-D printing, and the lactate threshold. Presumably on the supposition that the characters will be more familiar to readers than the science, the minilectures tend to start from simple basics, but the figures are mostly both redrawn to look more childlike than in the comics and identified only in passing. Drawing styles and page designs differ from chapter to chapter but not enough to interrupt overall visual unity and flow—and the cast is sufficiently diverse to include roles for superheroes (and villains) of color like Cyborg, Kid Flash, and the Latina Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz. Appended lists of websites and science-based YouTube channels, plus instructions for homespun activities related to each episode, point inspired STEM-winders toward further discoveries.
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77950-382-4
Page Count: 160
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hot on the heels of the well-received Leonardo da Vinci (2005) comes another agreeably chatty entry in the Giants of Science series. Here the pioneering physicist is revealed as undeniably brilliant, but also cantankerous, mean-spirited, paranoid and possibly depressive. Newton’s youth and annus mirabilis receive respectful treatment, the solitude enforced by family estrangement and then the plague seen as critical to the development of his thoughtful, methodical approach. His subsequent squabbles with the rest of the scientific community—he refrained from publishing one treatise until his rival was dead—further support the image of Newton as a scientific lone wolf. Krull’s colloquial treatment sketches Newton’s advances in clearly understandable terms without bogging the text down with detailed explanations. A final chapter on “His Impact” places him squarely in the pantheon of great thinkers, arguing that both his insistence on the scientific method and his theories of physics have informed all subsequent scientific thought. A bibliography, web site and index round out the volume; the lack of detail on the use of sources is regrettable in an otherwise solid offering for middle-grade students. (Biography. 10-14)
Pub Date: April 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-670-05921-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
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