Mermaids

April 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Solving nothing and providing precious little hard science, these expeditions into the land of woo offer gatherings of unsourced anecdotes and speculative references to possible causes of supernatural phenomena, from weather or physical forces to gravity waves, aliens, or outright hoaxes. The texts are interspersed with atmospheric photos, illustrations, maps, and reproductions. Each volume contains a diagram of the scientific method and final spreads with lengthy time lines and "Summing Up the Science" sections, among other back matter. Despite the overall skeptical tone and frequent invitations for readers to weigh the "evidence," children are not supplied with the tools to reach rational conclusions.

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.