Cece Loves Science

May 1, 2018

K-Gr 3-Budding scientist Cece is always asking questions such as "Why?" "How?" and "What if?" Excited by her teacher's assignment to find and investigate a question, she pairs up with a partner, Isaac, to brainstorm ideas, come up with a question, make observations, test possibilities (variables), interpret their data, and make a conclusion. Their question is "Do dogs eat vegetables?" and her dog Einstein is their subject. They try out different vegetables, but Einstein turns up his nose at them all. Harrison's animation-style digital illustrations-a mix of vignettes, full pages and spreads-show a long-haired, brown-skinned girl, her mixed-race family, her lighter-skinned friend, and an adorable terrier. Several of the pages show the questions and their answers on "Ms. Curie's Science Project Worksheet." Cece's disappointment at the uninteresting results of her project is contrasted, on a facing page, with a portrait of a brainstorm, possibly suggested by her banana dessert. Einstein does eat vegetables in smoothies. The story includes images of an inviting science classroom and mentions a variety of sciences and a range of scientists diverse in race and gender. VERDICT Words and pictures combine to make smooth blend of entertainment and education that may be useful in early elementary classrooms. An appealing concoction.-Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
Cece loves asking "why" and "what if." Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece's schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece's lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won't eat them. She complains to her parents, "Maybe I'm not a real scientist after all....Our project was boring." Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece's dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that "real scientists have fun finding answers too." Harrison's clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn't pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children's STEM shelf.A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)

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April 15, 2018
Grades K-3 Cece is a smart and curious girl who loves to get to the bottom of all her complex questions. So it's fortuitous when Cece's teacher tells the class to pair up for a new assignment: Pick a science you are curious about, and come up with a question to investigate. Cece and her friend Isaac choose zoology and pose the vital question of whether or not Cece's dog, Einstein, likes vegetables. In an impressively nondidactic way, readers are guided through the process of scientific observation, exploration, experimentation, and discovery, as they first discover Einstein will not eat veggies, and then discover that he will eat them if blended into a smoothie. Harrison's expressive digital illustrations have a lot of energy, color, and motion, and several incorporate filled-out worksheets with Cece and Isaac's findings as they progress. Meanwhile, a helpful scientific glossary closes the book. A fun way to introduce scientific methods.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)