Sand (Jump Into Science)

A whimsically illustrated sandpiper helps young readers discover the nature of one of their favorite geological wonders. They'll learn what sand is, why it comes in different colors, and how it gets to the beach. Illustrations that magnify aspects of sand will allow kids to marvel at sand grains and crystals close-up.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-This clearly written, scientifically accurate geology picture book is a striking success. Prager gives a lucid description of how sand is formed, what it is made of, and how it moves from place to place. It is the format and excellent illustrations, however, that make the book an outstanding choice. The artwork consists of digital collages of pastels on sandpaper, watercolors, and photographs, some of which were taken through a microscope. A colorfully clad cartoon sandpiper, called the "sand sleuth," carries his magnifying glass through the pages, adding humor and providing a device for inserting the magnified images. The book has enough visual appeal to work as a read-aloud and contains enough solid information for budding geologists to read on their own. An activity at the end-making sand-is appropriate for home or classroom. A fascinating, lively presentation.
Ellen Heath, Orchard School, Ridgewood, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Woodman's (Sea-Fari Deep) digital collages of pastels on sandpaper, watercolors and photos provide snappy graphics for this limited if age-appropriate look at sand. Prager, a geologist who specializes in marine science research and education, describes the formation and composition of sands of various colors and explains how sand moves from one location to another. Accompanied by explanatory visuals, some statements may strike readers as arbitrary ("Sand is made up of grains smaller than gravel but bigger than mud in size"), obvious ("The color of sand comes from the color of its grains") or repetitious. The visuals play to kids, with a typeface that mimics hand lettering and a friendly characterization of the "sand sleuth," a cartoon sandpiper dressed in a Sherlock Holmes-style cap and cape. While his microscope gives readers a close-up look at various kinds and colors of sand, the peripatetic guide paddles an inflatable boat, rides the waves on a surfboard, traverses the desert by camel and climbs an iceberg. The informal approach should broaden this volume's audience from children with an interest in science to those with simply a healthy curiosity. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

What is sand? Where does it come from? The sandpiper sleuth, a cartoon-like shore bird attempts to explain these and other facts, in this Jump Into Science title. The author, a geologist who specializes in marine science research, explains: We use the word sand to describe the size of a grain. Sand is made up of grains smaller than gravel but bigger than mud in size. She goes on to describe where sand is found, what materials are included in sand to give it different colors, and the forces of nature that move sand from one place to another (wind, water, ice). The eye-catching artwork includes several media; photographs of sand, driftwood, and shells are overlaid with drawings. Each page has a border of sand grains that appear to be drizzled on the page, and photos shown under the sleuths magnifying glass were actually taken under a microscope. Jacket copy reports that the art is a digital collage of pastels on sandpaper, watercolor and photographs. Young media-philes, accustomed to digital blending of the real and imaginary, may have less trouble interpreting the illustrations than adults. An experiment is included. Although there are no sources given for the information, this is an intriguing new look for a beginning science title. (Nonfiction. 4-8)-- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Prager's part science, part fun-and-games approach gives this book lots of appeal. A seagull disguised as a sleuth describes what sand is made of and how it is created. The bird carries a magnifying glass through which magnified photos of sand grains can be seen: white sand is made of coral and shell; tan sand consists of tiny fragments of quartz crystals; crystals of garnet make sand look red; the mineral olivine can make it green. The sand sleuth, engaged in surfing, river rafting, and ice climbing, shows how flowing water, blowing wind, and moving ice breaks big rocks into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually creating beaches and sand dunes. The sleuth and all his antics are part of the lively format, a "digital collage" of pastels on sandpaper, bright watercolors, and sharp color photographs. A fun, fact-filled book. Shelley Townsend-Hudson