It's Alive!: The Science of Plants and Living Things (Big Bang Science Experiments)

Gr 3-4-Each volume in this misleadingly titled series offers 10 low-tech science activities, none of which will produce more than a small-scale pop, ooze, or mess. The projects are arranged in random order, varying widely in complexity, and occasionally two are confusingly jammed together on the same spread. Most are simple enough to create but some, such as one that requires holding a water balloon over a candle and another that asks students to interweave the pages of two old phone books aren't well suited for the intended audience. Color photos illustrate the step-by-step instructions, and the goofy cartoon characters are scattered about the cluttered pages. Furthermore, even adult helpers may have difficulty finding "mirrored cardboard" for one experiment or cutting a table-tennis ball in half for another. Every book concludes with an excellent resource list. α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From the Big Bang Science Experiment series, this large-format book offers 10 simple science activities, including many old standbys. Photos accompanied by step-by-step instructions show children how to soak a chicken bone in vinegar to make it “bendy,” make two types of bird feeders, extract DNA from strawberries, trap bugs in a glass jar, and measure the capacity of their own lungs. Small snapshotlike photos illustrate the numbered steps of the activities. Each double-page spread features photos and text boxes apparently stuck to the background with masking tape, duct tape, or staples. Zany cartoon characters add a bit of fun. The look is colorful but overcrowded, making it harder for distractible kids to focus. Still, the instructions are broken down into simple steps, and the book’s upbeat tone has appeal. Grades 2-5. --Carolyn Phelan