It's written in a quick-paced, clear-eyed way, framing the basic forces of physics (as above, and more) with examples and descriptions while offering It's written in a quick-paced, clear-eyed way, framing the basic forces of physics (as above, and more) with examples and descriptions while offering parallel ways in which girls demonstrate and apply such force in their roles in the world. The overall premise suggests a lively science/STEM classroom of club space led by an engaging and inviting female teacher/leader and attended by a diverse, attentive, and clever batch of girls/young women. The application shifts take them from that dedicated space into the community and real ways that they have force and power without being forceful or threatening. That's unless you are threatened by empowered young women.
Some of the other forces explored include magnetism, nuclear power, tension, and friction. You can imagine the countless ways in which those forces, in terms of physics, can also reference women of any age in a world that sometimes tries to force them into or out of roles. The overall text is lightly applied with elaboration in the illustrations, including simplified indicators of physics forces, including vectors, spirals, and more. Diversity displayed is extensive, suggesting identities, interests, adaptations, and potentials. The author note also indicates the importance of encouragement, with the author pointing out that her own engineer-father always provided opportunities for her to explore and engage with science and math throughout her life.
STEM has taken center stage in many aspects of publishing and educational approaches, but this is a grand example that directing aspects of science principles and challenges at girls and young women is a natural and valuable approach with lighthearted sincerity and appeal.
If you've never used these words- reduce, reuse, recycle, and maybe repurpose- what planet have you been on? This new picture book introduces a real bIf you've never used these words- reduce, reuse, recycle, and maybe repurpose- what planet have you been on? This new picture book introduces a real boy who appreciated the many things he could find on a discard pile and turn into things that made his family smile. This kid grew up to become an urban garbage collector, who spent his days identifying and salvaging items that truly had no reason to end up in a landfill. From his many years of gathering, organizing, and displaying the treasures he found, he developed a sort of museum of trashed treasures, and folks welcomed a chance to visit and explore. When his bosses insisted there was no place for such items at work, he won the argument through public acclaim and now the museum of trash is open to the public. This specific account of a responsible person who preserved worthwhile items and led others to do the same is also a call to action to every reader to use those somewhat mundane words above in daily life. THINKing about what we consume, why we consume it, and ways in which we proceeds when the item is no longer being used is very powerful in the context of this account of the things a man on a mission is able to do!...more
This book defies simple categorization. It is newly translated from the original Italian, ands that work was a compilation of articles/columns to answThis book defies simple categorization. It is newly translated from the original Italian, ands that work was a compilation of articles/columns to answer WHY questions from kids. In this case, each inquiry is dealt with in a page or two, and often pairs a direct address response to a question (from science, philosophy, or simple wondering) with a poem that relates to the content of that exchange in some way. Some are rhymed,m some free verse.
All are intriguing and fun reading, especially for kids who like to "wonder"....more
A glance at that cover will confirm my assertion, and, I hope, entice you to take as close a look at this book as this character is taking of those spA glance at that cover will confirm my assertion, and, I hope, entice you to take as close a look at this book as this character is taking of those sprouts. Each and every page offers varied perspectives of the growing things, the tenders of those things, the ways in which we respond to the miracle of plant life, and the atmosphere surrounding this life-giving time of year. That begins with the densely lush solid green endpapers, the bursting crocus blossoms on the title page, and the sense-evoking images and language: "Magnolias smell like lemon cake." This is the minimal but magnificent text on a double spread showing an enthralled woman sniffing a blooming magnolia blossom, welcome harbinger of true spring. Quickly readers learn of the younger gardener's admiring engagement with her nature-aware and knowledgeable older sister. Overnight changes, sun-dappled scenes, even the "chore" of weeding are depicted from fascinating angles. Wondering and "wowing" are as subtle as the tips and cautions that appear within the text that inspire, including lines like this,
"How does my sister know?", part of the minimalist text on a seemingly dark illustration with moon-dappled dabs and an open-eyed, pillow-posed face. The aspects of these various illustrations are worth study in themselves and parallel the implied challenge of this work to TAKE TIME, not just to smell the roses but to notice nature. To get our hands dirty. To ask questions of ourselves, of available resources, and of those who have had time to learn more. ...more
With a a repeating phrase within lyrical, rhyming narrative: "The secret of a plant lies in every ittle seed..." the author leads readers into a snow-meWith a a repeating phrase within lyrical, rhyming narrative: "The secret of a plant lies in every ittle seed..." the author leads readers into a snow-melting garden with family in order to share in the magic of a blooming season. From those early preparatory scenes though the growth and harvest season, simple text pairs with naturally-toned illustrations from above and below ground perspectives sprinkled with labeled garden tools and elements of the garden. I appreciated the attention to life on many levels, from microbes and larvae to moles, birds, chipmunks, and plant names. The sense that gardening nis a family tradition is also treasured in the refrain: "Grandpa told Mom and Mom told me..." If gardening wasn't your family's tradition, this book could start a new pattern. This is an excellent addition to any collection of picture books on the subject....more
(Check out the remarkable companion picture book from 2021: I AM SMOKE.) The concept portrayal used a unique voice and poetic, personified narrative f(Check out the remarkable companion picture book from 2021: I AM SMOKE.) The concept portrayal used a unique voice and poetic, personified narrative for a ubiquitous, often unwelcome part of our lives, SMOKE. It has been hailed as groundbreaking. That is not just my opinion. I (and many others) have been awaiting a companion picture book on some equally challenging abstract concept. It's exciting that I AM GRAVITY is arriving soon. It does not disappoint. Both are written by Henry Herz and illustrated by Merce Lopez.
In I AM GRAVITY, Herz voices a universal force (literally) that's infinitely more complex than smoke. With text that explores familiar daily life and star formation within the same spreads, the power, necessity, and magnificence of GRAVITY in our lives becomes vividly clear. Both concepts and images are illustrated with fluidity and subtle detail that offers something for every age and background on this subject. The limited colors allow gravity's invisibility to be "shown" or suggested through a sense of graceful movement lines and consistent color that catches the eye against neutral background shades. From the cover (ball catch and bouncing hair) to remarkably balanced rocks to black hole activity and star formation, gravity somehow becomes visible.
That's the alchemy of picture books as a format: text and images achieving more than either could accomplish alone. In this case it is also the nearly magical achievement of these two creators to turn potentially mundane scenes into transformational connections that evoke awe, appreciation, and awareness of a vital life force that we rarely notice without the attention of such an effective homage.
It does not do justice to the complexity and appeal in this new picture book to offer excerpts, and yet I can't resist. Here's one example:
"I tether the moon to the Earth. High tide.
Low tide. I wave to you with the oceans."
These two seemingly simple lines reveal the lyrical appeal and the accessibility of this material even to very young audiences, yet spark curiosity in older readers and invite further exploration of the multilayered science elements and interconnections of gravity in everything we know and do. A few pages of back matter provide direct information for readers and their families. This is an excellent example of WHY and HOW picture books of such high quality have much to offer for readers of many ages, as well as purposeful uses within language arts and content area classrooms.
It was a lovely opportunity to have an advance look at this, without promise of a review. I hope you'll read more about it, request it at your library, and (pre)order for gifts, your home library, or your classroom. You won't regret it....more
Images from envisioning possibilities to bringing dreams to the real world are action-based but reveal powerful emotional strengths as well.. "Girls" aImages from envisioning possibilities to bringing dreams to the real world are action-based but reveal powerful emotional strengths as well.. "Girls" are shown to be young, teen, and adult, working in collaboration to innovate, renovate, design and build every manner of useful and creative items and structures. Tools of the trade (there I go again) are pictured and named within natural language and sequential images to provide models of success... and failure.
Some of my favorite lines in the book follow such a failure:
"Take a breath.
Take a break.
Then...
try again.
Because failure
isn't final.
It's where new
ideas are made."
A circle of girls, viewed from above, surrounds those words, joined as if in a familiar mantra of determination and persistence. Around the perimeter of their faces and enfolded arms are the tools they have used, will use, will master to make those dreams and ideas reality.
In their present lives and in their own futures.
As designers, collaborators, dreamers, and builders of better communities, structures, and a new world.
Highly recommended for ALL readers. Girls of course, but equally valuable for youth of all identities....more
there are few topics that engage kids more eagerly than the elementary physics of force, energy, and simple machines. Few topics in basic science morethere are few topics that engage kids more eagerly than the elementary physics of force, energy, and simple machines. Few topics in basic science more directly affect daily life than these. Unfortunately, as essential as screws, planes, axles, magnets, and motion are in everything we do, the current pressure to account for each minute in a classroom has limited time for the hands-on explorations that make any science, but especially this topic) come alive for learners.
In this recent release, the author and illustrator have packaged basic concepts accurately and entertainingly within every day interactions between a child and their dog.With comic style illustrations and lively personalities, they reveal Newtonian properties and processes like gravity, inertia, and motion, as well as sound, matter, electricity, reflection and more. The table of contents offers topic tags for each poem, while brief and kid-friendly back matter expands slightly on examples of each with modest doses of added science. These helpfulm additions make the book a handy "grab" to reference" in classrooms and studies, but the whole is never greater than the sum of the poems. This every day awareness of forces and energy at work in a child's life is ideally suited to spark curiosity, investigation, further reading, and conversations. ...more
Edith Clarke (also with an /e/ to end her surname), excelled at academic tasks, puzzle-solving, and dreaming of building railroads, bridges, and dams Edith Clarke (also with an /e/ to end her surname), excelled at academic tasks, puzzle-solving, and dreaming of building railroads, bridges, and dams. She was sent to boarding school to learn manners and grace, but dismissed that frustratingly unchallenging curriculum during the same era as Josephine was inventing- the turn of the twentieth century. Potential career paths in engineering of any kind led Edith to closed and locked doors, but she used her inheritance to hire private tutors in languages, math, science, and to study the emerging wave of technology. Employed to manage mundane tasks within the burgeoning telephone industry, Edith became aware of operational weaknesses and evaluated ways to address those. That involved complex analytical computations; ones she was able to complete but few others could. Instead, she devised and carefully constructed a simple rotating, two-armed cardboard tool that would allow others to determine precise and necessary answers to a myriad of equations. A calculator!
In the field of electrical engineering, Edith Clarke is a less familiar name than most, but she stands as equal to Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and Morgan in the measure of the contributions she made through her work. Back matter includes a detailed timeline and some archival photos, as well as brief notes about other notable women in math and engineering....more
Josephine lived with enough means to have domestic help, yet the process of washing dishes, especially after a crowd, left her precious dishware dingeJosephine lived with enough means to have domestic help, yet the process of washing dishes, especially after a crowd, left her precious dishware dinged and chipped. Not one to complain without taking action, she plunged in to wash them herself, only to discover how much precious TIME was wasted in this process. As a modern woman (in post-Civil War 1800's) she was aware of many new inventions, some even created by women inventors. With a family heritage of inventors, Josephine was driven to create a machine that could safely and thoroughly wash and rinse her dishes without damaging them.
She not only imagined, sketched, and revised, she got to work with tools and her own two hands to bring her ideas into the world. This book credits the man, George Butters, who worked on these attempts with her (something rarely done by male inventors when assistants were women). It also indicates the near-disastrous impact of her husband's early death and ensuing debts.But Josephine was as determined as she was modern, which this book depicts with colorful and appealing illustrations that reveal much about the time, circumstances, and processes that led her to eventual successes. Efficient and compelling text throughout make Josephine's personality and accomplishments shine as brightly has her newly washed dishes. The expanded content in back matter provide excellent additional resources....more
When it comes to a picture book about simple machines, bring it on! There are NOT enough in general, and certainly not current ones written by master-When it comes to a picture book about simple machines, bring it on! There are NOT enough in general, and certainly not current ones written by master-author Lola M. Schaefer. Like it or not, we (from birth through death) are surrounded by simple machines and the more complex ones that rely on simply machine elements to operate. Sure, technology rules the day, but even the hinge on your laptop is a simple machine. While teaching, I witnessed the fading (then disappearance) of exploration and teaching units on simple machines, to my great dismay. Kids, from toddlerhood on, are fascinated by wheels and ramps and wedges and every other real or improvised "tool" they see or touch. This rhymed text is an essential and simple necessity for those little ones, and possibly for their generational caregivers who missed those study units that labeled and explained and integrated simple machines into their lives. Colorful, fun, and entertaining in its own right, but also essential for every young child- boy or girl! Love it!...more
I have only the highest praise for the conceptual foundation of this remarkable picture book, as well as for the language and phrasing of the minimal I have only the highest praise for the conceptual foundation of this remarkable picture book, as well as for the language and phrasing of the minimal text, the vibrant and interest-catching photographic illustrations, and the ways in which both elements inspire readers of any age to more careful observations off nature, scientific investigations, and social engagement. ...more
This is an excellent presentation of emerging information about the interdependence of the living things in a woodland, from animals to fungi to plantThis is an excellent presentation of emerging information about the interdependence of the living things in a woodland, from animals to fungi to plants. The latest studies of this iuntil0-recently unknown process of underground connections and communications among the root systems of the tallest and oldest of trees to the smallest of sprouts and even to the web-fine threaded outreaches of fungal networks is only now gaining the attention it deserves. The biodiversity, natural dangers, and interspecies supports that have evolved over time and global reaches are amazing, sparking enormous curiosity in readers. Back matter in this offering presents direct information about the various living aspects of the woodland setting, above and below ground. Other back pages reveal links to science and socio-emotional learning, clarify what IS known and what is still being investigated, and also suggests activities that young audiences/learners may want to attempt. A fascinating picture book for many ages....more
This is a powerful and important book for young (and older) readers, especially those who see their future world in environmental crisis. Very well orThis is a powerful and important book for young (and older) readers, especially those who see their future world in environmental crisis. Very well organized and presented in full text and inserted short additions and passages that make it both interesting and functional for use as full text and also as a research resource. Hard facts but with realistic approaches to strategies to save our future....more
This is a delightful, colorful approach to the basic information about how seeds grow and develop. it is also lyrical and invites audiences to particiThis is a delightful, colorful approach to the basic information about how seeds grow and develop. it is also lyrical and invites audiences to participate and retell the essential information as well as providing appealing passages and lines. An asset for direct instruction and also mentor writing for young learners....more
The visual aspects of this book are necessarily dark and intense, incorporating subtle but fascinating elements that suggested lighted areas within liThe visual aspects of this book are necessarily dark and intense, incorporating subtle but fascinating elements that suggested lighted areas within living things. The break-away sidebar text was effectively clear but brief, incorporating definitions as needed and allowing for both learning and the launch for further information. My sense is that young readers will experience "magical" excitement about out natural world and seek to learn more, observe more, and preserve the "dark sky" we are rapidly losing.,...more
This is an incredibly appealing compilation of contemporary women who have made, and continue to make, a better world for the future. A few features aThis is an incredibly appealing compilation of contemporary women who have made, and continue to make, a better world for the future. A few features are worth particular note. Each account beings with several interview/one-line responses that offer distinct views into the individuals, and also the range of interests that are pr=brought to our attention, from changes in cosmetics manufacturing and ingredients (with parallel activism to require more legal regulation) to women who launched/lead environmental, digital, social, and scientific movements to leave the world a better place for future rebels....more
This seemingly simple picture book bio of a record-breaking female swimmer from Australia is far more than that. Australia's Annette Kellerman lived hThis seemingly simple picture book bio of a record-breaking female swimmer from Australia is far more than that. Australia's Annette Kellerman lived her youngest years as a lively, exuberant girl whose love of ballet and performance led to dreams of a stage life. When an unknown paralyzing infection left her with weakened legs and wearing braces that imprisoned her dreams, her spirit faded. Her father's brilliant idea to help her learn to swim restored Annette's freedom, leading eventually to a fully restored body and dreams she could never have imagined, with a watery stage on which to express herself and garner the acclaim she welcomed. I tagged this as a story in a story because her life was notable, too, (as the subtitle indicates) for breaking gender barriers beyond the athletic world. The fact that multiple heavy layers of clothing were demanded for women swimmers, (even in competition against MEN!), chafed at Annette's sense of justice and equity. She designed and created a modest, swimmable garment, but one that shocked society of that time. It took a ruling by the courts to allow her to wear it in competitions and later in general when swimming, but requirements were placed that she must be covered/robed on land, not dropping her coverings until stepping into the water. Her fashion pioneering led to other girls and women adopting the style and all eventually ignored the demands for 'land" coverings. Readers will find joy, persistence, imagination, unbounded goal-setting, emotional arcs, and family strengths in this beautifully illustrated new picture book....more
I sometimes find that re-issues of adult nonfiction for young readers is absolutely brilliant and even reads as if it should have begun for that audieI sometimes find that re-issues of adult nonfiction for young readers is absolutely brilliant and even reads as if it should have begun for that audience. In this case, the quality follows a more usual track, meaning that the complexity of an adult subject/research is made accessible, but works best with a very specific interested audience and/or discussions led by a knowledgeable person. This is a must-read for teachers and librarians who are often aware of young people (males and females) who see themselves as influencers, tik-tok stars, fashion designers, trendsetters, etc. They can pursue those goals more effectively and responsibly by having an informed knowledge base about the socio-political forces at work behind the fashion industry, as well as the consequences of fast-fashion. This not only traces those elements, economics, and social shifts over time, but also engages with change-makers who are generating planet-friendly solutions for the future. This would be a tremendous recommended reading ( or main text) for use in garment classes, environmental studies, planet-protection groups, etc. ...more
The format for this title (and the series) incorporates traditional book elements (table of contents, index, picture captions, sidebars, chapter titleThe format for this title (and the series) incorporates traditional book elements (table of contents, index, picture captions, sidebars, chapter titles and subheadings, with back matter that includes glossary, bibliography, and added reading sources). The text itself is a readable and appealing blend of explanatory text, storytelling, and profiles of Indigenous knowledge leaders among past and contemporary communities. By spanning many centuries through legendary tales, historical practices, modern applications, archival photos and modern images with photos, illustrations, and diagrams, these brief but potent chapters are very user-friendly and also invite questions and participation from readers....more
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