Adrienne Mason

There are many reasons why I like this book. For one, I really like the writing in this book. The author’s writing was very informative and descriptive for the readers, something that is very good to have when discussing something as important as our planet. One example is when the author says, “somewhere on Earth a chorus of frog croaks fills the air, a hummingbird sips sweet nectar from a flower, and a sunflower turns its yellow head to follow the sun.” This sentence is very show more descriptive and tells the reader so much about the different animals and plants on this planet. In addition, the author states that “perhaps a spaghetti-thin worm squirming through the soil might help digest a toxic pollutant, or a rare flower in the tropical forest could produce a valuable medicine.” The descriptive nature of this statement also displays the importance and beauty of Earth, providing an engaging and informative text for the readers.

Additionally, I like the language used in this book. The author utilizes a play on words and relatable content in this book as subtitles to engage the readers. For example, the author uses phrases such as “the real world wide web” and “the dirt on biodiversity” in order to entertain the readers. The first phrase compares the ocean to the internet, comparing this aspect of the planet to the internet, making the language relatable to many readers. The second phrase is a play on words that references dirt in two different contexts, making it a comical pun for readers. Both phrases engage the readers through their relatable and humorous natures. The main message of this story is that the Earth is very important and it is essential to maintain all of the living things on this planet. show less

I like this book because it gives a kid-friendly explanation of the forces of motion. I also really like that it is super interactive. As a read aloud, there are opportunities for students to respond to questions and prompts. In addition to that, it has experiments in the book that kids can do; it lists the equipment and materials needed, has directions, and includes questions about them. I would use this book in chunks; the first part of each section is a great read aloud to introduce the show more concepts of pushing, pulling, force, etc., and I would use the experiments that follow them if I could. I like that this book can be used for several different ideas/concepts. show less

This book is a good benchmark book for young readers. It walks the reader through matter and what that is. I love how the author, Mason, explains matter because she has some great illustrations that show the reader that matter is everywhere. Mason also explains to the reader what solids, liquids, and gases are. Something that I really enjoyed about this book what that after each area of science, Mason includes a science experiment for the reader to try. This makes the book more hands-on and show more a great resource for students and teachers. I would use this book in my classroom as a support to different lessons on physical science. From a pedagogical stand-point, this book has some amazing vocabulary that allows the student to see and learn. show less

This book focuses heavily on different factors of science, as well as appropriately explaining them to a younger audience with everyday examples of application. I liked how it provided experiments that could be done as well to follow along with the story being told. I think it has a lot of educational value and would be a great point of reference to have in a personal library or classroom as it involves so much.