Alphabet

Q is for Quark

Guest reviewer Debbie Glade tells us that:

The ABCs of Science Are More Sophisticated than You Might Imagine

schwartzquarkQ is for Quark; A Science Alphabet Book, written by David M. Schwartz, is a paperback book, chocked full of fascinating information. Parents and teachers will learn great deal from this informative book too. To start with, I turned to the Q page to learn that quarks are what protons and neutrons are made from, yet they “don’t act like ordinary matter.” There’s a scientific topic for every letter of the alphabet, like E is for Element, J is for Jet Propulsion, V is for Vortex and much more.

What I like about Q is for Quark ($9.99, Tricycle Press/Random House, Trade Paperback) is that the explanations are really quite thorough; there’s a lot of text here and that’s a good thing. The reader will really understand the topic after reading the description. And the words are offset by colorful illustrations done by former medical illustrator, Kim Doner. They add to the educational aspect of the book plus provide an element of entertainment.

Author David M. Schwartz has penned more than 50 children’s math and science books. It’s obvious he did his homework here to write this mini encyclopedia that presents science education to kids in a most fun and fascinating way.

Editor’s Note: This book is recommended for ages 9-12

debbiegladeDebbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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Get on Board with a Good Book on National Train Day May 8th

A Is for “All Aboard!” is one of those books both my son and daughter would have loved when they were younger and big-time into all things
T R A I N!! We had our turn with Thomas and Brio, even Lionel for a while, but there’s nothing like the real thing. I have to admit we are all tremendous train fans in our family. Having lived in both Frankfurt and London, we frequently travelled by train throughout the Continent and the U.K. taking the Eurostar and the I.C.E.  I was even hoping we’d get a chance on the TGV in France or better yet, the fabled Orient Express, but there’s still time.

516fonxryhl_sl500_aa300_Reading through this lively new book has brought all our exciting train journeys back to the fore and will definitely get youngsters eager to have an experience of their own. My husband still takes my son, Coleman, down to Union Station now and then and frankly I wonder if it’s really more for him than for Coleman!

Written by Paula Kluth, Ph.D. and Victoria Kluth, the  daughters of a Green Bay & Western Railroad worker, this ABC book  for train lovers is both educational and entertaining. When I delved a little deeper I also discovered the book was conceived with autistic children in mind, and the publisher’s Web site says the authors even incorporated feedback from children with autism. The bright bold artwork by Brad Littlejohn will capture kids’ attention and the information is sure to spark their imagination. The language used is clear and concise and many new concepts are introduced creating great learning opportunities.  I liked the teaching tips included at the end pages since ABC books are a great vehicle for engaging children and promoting literacy. At $16.95 this book is worth every penny.

The following is an example that is a particular favorite of mine. O is for Orient Express: The Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train. The route has changed many times. Paris and Istanbul were its original end points.

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