Science Matters - Hardcover

Knapp, Brian J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0717258343 ISBN 13: 9780717258345

Publisher: Grolier Academic Reference, 2002

Synopsis

The large colorful photos used throughout these volumes should appeal to the young readers for whom this reference was designed (though it will also be useful for ESL students). Each volume is about 25 pages long and begins with a brief timeline and a list of vocabulary words with definitions. Together, the volumes present very basic information about 25 fundamental curriculum areas, including food, teeth, and eating; changing from solids to liquids to gases; how we see things; light and shadows; habitats; life cycles; and simple electricity. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

About this title

Reviews

Grade 2-3-Disorganized, superficial, and peppered with statements that range from simplistic to plain wrong, this overview of science is more apt to confuse than enlighten the readers for whom it is intended. Each volume takes on an apparently randomly chosen topic, which can vary in scope from Helping plants grow well or Dissolving to Habitats, Keeping healthy, and Earth and beyond. Aside from perfunctory indexes in each volume, there is no back matter, and despite much topical overlap, Solids and liquids, Changing from solids to liquids to gases, and Changing materials, for example, or Simple electricity and Changing circuits, there are no internal or external cross-references. Along with citing temperatures in centigrade only, Knapp shows inconsistent judgment about the vocabulary his readers will be able to handle, defining "microorganisms," "buoyancy," and "cholesterol," for example, but not "chlorophyll" or "electromagnets." More problematically, lines like "We eat food because it tastes nice," and the claim that insects "occur in larger numbers than any living thing on Earth," indicate a disregard for precise language, or even accuracy. Similarly, many of the color diagrams and cut-out photos are striking but misleading. Colorful, open-looking pages give this set a superficially inviting appearance, but that's hardly enough to compensate for its substandard content.
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Grolier Academic Reference
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0717258343
• ISBN 13: 9780717258345
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Woodroffe David
• Number of pages: 1152