Galileo and the Telescope

December 1, 2011

Gr 2-4-Although basic facts are presented in simple sentences, there isn't much in these books to pique readers' interest for further study or to significantly advance their understanding of the topics. In fact, given the layout of the facts in Fahrenheit, children may come away believing that the Celsius scale puts boiling at zero degrees and freezing at 100 degrees as it isn't until two pages later that the reversal of this scale by another scientist is mentioned. Large photos show scenes from the places the scientists grew up or where they studied along with contemporary images broadly related to the topic. A time line puts the subject within a selection of world events, repeating photos used in the book and featuring facts that appear in the form of captions ostensibly to broaden the topic but never explained in the text. It may be difficult to find books about Celsius and Fahrenheit for this age group, but given the wealth of material available on the scientists, there is no reason to select these biographies.-Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library

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