Simple Machines

December 1, 2013
Preschool-G There is no shortage of youth titles on simple machines, but this one benefits from the publisher's clean, elegant, tried-and-true format of devoting two-thirds of each page to a vibrant, highly relevant photo, while using the remaining third for one or two very short sentences. Rissman begins with declarative statements: Machines are tools. Machines make work easier. Simple, yes, but the two accompanying photos will immediately open minds: one of an egg beater, the other of a massive construction crane. Then begins the roll-out of the basic machines: lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, screw, pulley, and wedge. What makes this book part of the Real Size Science series is that many of the photos are stamped Real Size and feature the objecta crowbar, inline skates, a water bottleat a realistic dimension. This addition is not especially useful, but it does add a point of interest. A picture glossary concludes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)