Radio (Let's See)

Children's Literature

Most young readers are surrounded by music and voices from radios¾in their family cars, in the kitchen of their home and from the bedrooms of older siblings. This book tells readers that the beginnings of radio were the first sounds sent on radio waves in 1895. The author then discusses the importance of radios for connecting fire and police and airline pilots today. Radios are sources of entertainment and are tools used in many different professions. Readers learn how sounds are transmitted and received with something so usual that it might be taken for granted. This is one of four books for primary readers in a series entitled "Let's See." The books explain kinds of electronic communication devices with which young readers are familiar. The format and design features of each book are the same. The text organization, access features (table of contents, glossary, index, sources), and the font size make the information readily accessible to elementary science students. Each topic listed in the table of contents is described with one page of text. A captioned color photograph adds its own information and faces the text page. Special vocabulary is set in bold face type, and the definitions of these words are found in the glossary. The author has included a section at the end of each book called Want To Know More? This includes books available at the library, websites, mailing addresses, and places such as The Museum of Radio and Television where readers can find information from other sources. 2002, Compass Point Books, $18.60. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer:Carol J. Wolfenbarger