All summer I’ll be sharing books for kids of all ages on topics that will interest them or offer them a new topic to learn about. Most of the time these will be nonfiction books, but sometimes we can learn how to be better people or learn empathy from fictional stories too.
So, I hope you will stay tuned to these posts. They will always have Summer Read-to-Learn in the title and in the tags. It’s so important to prevent that summer slide with our kids, so I hope you can use these books to keep them reading and learning all summer long. See all the posts, HERE.
WHAT ABOUT SCIENCE
An Illustrated Q&A Book for Kids
By: Bertrand Fichou and Marc Beynié
Illustrated by: Pascal Lemaitre
Published: May 24, 2022
Publisher: Twirl
Non-Fiction
The first in a fun new series that answers the questions kids what to know…What About? Sometimes, even adults want difficult concepts explained to us like we are five and this book does just that. It’s natural for kids to wonder about things, but sometimes as parents, we don’t have all the answers or know how to explain them to our children. Fichou in the American version and Meynié in the French version, have joined together to answer some of the most asked questions submitted to their magazine, Images Doc, the premier nonfiction magazine for young people in France since 1989.
Over 40 main questions are answered through illustrations and short paragraph explanations with enough details and wit to keep kids reading and learning. Plus, they don’t just answer the question but share more about that topic as well. For example, “How deep can a sperm whale dive?” isn’t just answered with the amount of 6,500 feet. But shares more about the sperm whale and why they need to dive that deep…to find the giant squid that they like to eat.
Other fascinating questions that are answered in the book include, “Why do our bodies make noises?”, “Why is the sky blue?”, and “What’s inside a camel’s hump?”. There are questions about our bodies and various animals, about particles, minerals, and landforms, and even about technology. The illustrations are accurate but cartoonish which keeps the learning fun and the kids engaged. There isn’t information overload, but just enough to answer their curiosity and then they could certainly search the internet if they are wanting more on a topic.
I would say this book would be appropriate for upper elementary-aged readers and any kids interested in science. If you have a child that likes to ask “Why?” or “How?” often, this is the book for them!
Bertrand Fichou is the editor-in-chief of Youpi and Images Doc, magazines dedicated to the development of scientific awareness in children. He lives in Paris, France.
Pascal Lemaître is the illustrator of numerous children’s books, including the bestselling picture books, Come with Me, Do Not Open This Book!, and many more. During the year, he splits his time between Brussels, Belgium, and Brooklyn, New York.
To purchase a copy of WHAT ABOUT SCIENCE, click the photo below:
