Light and Sound

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8Two outstanding series entries that clearly explain the scientific principles addressed. Heat and Cold describes what heat is, how it is measured, the effects of heat and cold, and how we use them both at work and home. Light and Sound shows how light is energy that travels through space, as well as being a beam of photons. The difference between concave and convex mirrors, refraction, and how lenses work are all concepts that will be easily understood from text and illustrations. What causes color and why is also addressed. Sound is explained as being similar to light in that both travel in waves and can be reflected and refracted. The attractive, full-color illustrations, photographs, and charts are helpful, and many easy experiments are included. In addition, boxed "It's Amazing" inserts provide interesting facts for students to ponder. Questions are posed throughout the texts and are answered at the end. Each title includes "milestones," a chronological timeline of inventions and discoveries. These titles are more comprehensive than Neil Ardley's The Science Book of Hot & Cold (1992) and The Science Book of Sound (1991, both Harcourt).Marion F. Gallivan, Gannon University, Erie, PA