Everyday Things and How They Work

School Library Journal

Gr 3-8These series entries feature detailed illustrations and descriptions, with each topic treated on a double-page spread. Transport includes motorcycles, cars, trains, ships, submarines, airplanes, and space vehicles. Dinosaurs presents carnivorous and herbivorous species, reproduction, survival techniques, and more. Everyday Things covers simple machines, clocks, cars, engines, electricity, cameras, communications, computers, calculators, and lasers. Curiously, decorative cartoon drawings of naked cherubs are used throughout to highlight information and indicate motion. Oxlade and Turvey provide a historical perspective and a gradual transition toward the present, discussing pertinent research and/or inventions. In all three titles, the full-color, cutaway drawings are labeled and captioned. While the texts are written on an intermediate/junior-high level, the pictorial format makes the books appealing to upper-primary grade children as well. Dorling Kindersley has similar materials in their ``Visual Dictionary'' and ``Cross-Section'' series. Serviceable additions.Douglas K. Dillon, Lakota Freshman School, West Chester, OH