What Are Insulators and Conductors?

October 1, 2012
Grades 3-6 Middle-graders often wonder how electricity is transmitted and how we are protected from being shocked. Pegis takes these readers along on an exploration of the roles conductors and insulators play in the transmission. Each of 12 subtopics, from The Electrifying Third Rail to The Mighty Vacuum, are addressed on colorful two-page spreads. The glossy pages include plenty of white space, high-resolution photos (some framed with simulated electric current), text interspersed with bright red headings, and flash facts: Lightning is so hot, it can heat up the air around it to five times the temperature of the sun. Meanwhile, further questions and simple experiments give opportunities for deeper inquiry. As one of four books in the Understanding Electricity series, the information provided here builds upon and expands that found in the other volumes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)