Children's Books discussion

I thought that Missy Allen's Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms might be good and also something useful regarding protecting oneself from poisonous plants and mushrooms, but honestly, everything about this book has made me livid, with Allen having a really problematic anti nature and let's destroy toxic plants and mushrooms attitude (instead of just teaching people, both children and adults) to be prudent and to not pick and certainly not consume any plant or mushroom (unless absolutely sure they are safe) and also often giving suspect medical advice (found on Open Library, and no, not at all recommended)

(view spoiler)[I came across Missy Allen's Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms on Open Library and thought that it might be textually interesting and enlightening (as I do tend to enjoy finding out information about dangerous, mostly toxic plants and fungi, but indeed only if this is done and achieved with scientific rigour and without all author anger and judgmentalism). However, after finding Allen's introduction to Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms one thousand percent NOT the latter, but instead all encompassingly infuriatingly nasty and horrible and because I also keep getting error messages on Open Library, sorry, but I am going to be stopping with my perusal of Dangerous Plants and Mushrooms right after that teeth grittingly ridiculous and horrid intro and with a very solid DNF and one star rating as well and that I also and totally do stand by this (since Missy Allen's opening words have indeed been more than sufficient for me to shake my head angrily, infuriatingly and to equally assume that the main textual body of Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms will more than likely be similarly problematic and verbally offensive and to equally thus not ever be considering as even remotely recommending Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms by any stretch of my imagination).

For indeed, concerning Missy Allen's opening remarks for Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms, in my opinion, the ONLY acceptable words from Allen's pen are her legitimate warnings that one should not pick and especially not consume or cook with any plants and mushrooms with which one is not absolutely and completely familiar and that one should also not attempt to approach wild animals, but with EVERYTHING ELSE basically and to put this rather bluntly majorly being textually crappy and as such verbally hugely, utterly lacking for me. Because Allen's words in her introduction about nature, about flora and fauna, they are massively judgmental, bordering on coming across as deliberately hatefully nasty, ridiculously hysterical and do seem to equally emanate a hugely problematic textual vibe of anything that is not urban, anything that has to do with potentially dangerous plants, fungi, wild animals etc. being first and foremost intentionally terrible, horrid and with active and deliberate evil intentions towards people.

And sadly, even when there are in the introduction of Dangerous Plants and Animals some necessary and justified remarks from Missy Allen regarding human silliness and imprudent behaviour leading to danger or worse with toxic or potentially toxic plants and mushrooms, there is still at least to and for me always such an infuriatingly whining attitude of human victimhood being promoted by Allen and that dangerous, that poisonous plants and mushrooms are somehow almost criminally insane, that they are violently terrible entities intentionally out to destroy people and as such a threat that needs to be eliminated, and in fact not by simply avoiding dangerous plants and fungi but by getting rid or and destroying them unilaterally and seemingly without thought, and that Allen also never once considers that we human beings are actually one of the most dangerous and destructive animal species on earth and much more of an all round danger than toxic plants and mushrooms (and also potential dangerous animals like crocodiles, sharks, snakes, bears etc.) could ever be, I just have felt majorly textually offended by the introduction to Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms (and since Missy Allen's opening remarks are likely a sign of things to come, no, I am not going to bother finishing Dangerous Plant & Mushrooms and am also standing by my one star rating).

EDIT TO ADD ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

So albeit I (after my issues with error messages on Open Library finally stopped) have now had the chance to quickly and cursively skim through some of the main textual body of Dangerous Plants and Mushrooms, I am absolutely NOT going to be upping my one star rating. For while Missy Allen does present some bits of relevant and factual information on the toxic mushrooms and plants she has chosen to feature, the negatively anti nature attitude of the Introduction for Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms completely and all encompassingly persists and continues throughout the main text, with Allen for example describing ALL mushrooms as plain, as ugly, as basically worthless, and promoting not only staying away from potentially dangerous plants and fungi but generally destroying and getting rid of them (sigh), and not to mention that some of Missy Allen's medical advice regarding what to do for a suspected victim of potential mushroom or plant poisoning is also rather suspect and problematic, so that in my humble opinion, ANY perusal of Dangerous Plants & Mushrooms should be done with prudence and to not consider Allen's medical advice as to be followed with no questions asked. (hide spoiler)]

A warning. Don't bother with the overhyped A Rover's Story, especially if you already read SF about sapient machines.

Manybooks wrote: "I was looking forward towards reading Race to the Bottom of the Sea as I thought much of the story would be about scientific ocean exploration and biology. But the STEM elements do ..."

STEM as window dressing - nope.
Pirates - nope.
Too bad.

Cheryl wrote: "A warning. Don't bother with the overhyped A Rover's Story, especially if you already read SF about sapient machines."

Thanks, and I do have to say that I have been kind of disappointed with way too many STEM fiction books I have read or tried to read for this topic (and have generally found the non fiction ones superior and also less annoying, not to mention much more interesting).

Cheryl wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I was looking forward towards reading Race to the Bottom of the Sea as I thought much of the story would be about scientific ocean exploration and biology. But the..."

The pirate theme just does not work for me at all.

Timelines of Nature: From Mountains and Glaciers to Mayflies and Marsupials

This is textually and visually excellent (and thus highly recommended for readers aged nine or ten onwards), but I do have issues with how small the font is, that the visual contrasts often make reading even more difficult (and give me headaches), that the sources are so tiny as to be illegible and that there are no books and websites listed for further reading/research.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Well, I thought that Daisy Bird's The Big Bang and Other Farts was not really all that STEM (as I had assumed), too much into farting and that the accompanying artwork is majorly ugly and not at all to my tastes.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read the 2022 edition of D.K. Publishing's Timelines of Science and it seems that in the 2013 edition, there is a really nice back matter area for quick and easy reference that unfortunately no longer exists in the 2022 edition (which I do find majorly lacking). So yes, while Timelines of Science (the 2022 edition I read) presents a lot of interesting and also scientifically sound information, that the back matter from 2013 has been removed, that the sources are ridiculously small, that there are no lists for further study and that so many scientists and in particular women of science have been ignored, yes, this does make my rating only two stars and recommended with major reservations (and in fact, I would suggest if interested trying the 2013 edition)

Timelines of Science (and there also seems to be a 2023 edition I have not read)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And I really do NOT AT ALL understand why D.K. Publishing basically never seems to have decent bibliographies (and that their listed sources are generally too small to easily read). I mean, the information is often really good but the educational value generally does a bit downhill for me with no lists for further reading and if I have trouble being able to read the sources.

I thought that Alvin Silverstein's Yucky Science non fiction picture books might work for my inner child. But after finding Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book only two stars (and even though the entire series seems to be available on Open Library), I am not all that keen on reading the other series books.

(view spoiler)[Sure, with the non fiction picture book Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book, Alvin Silverstein's featured information on a number of so-called (via the book title) yucky human illnesses, from ancient maladies such as the Bubonic Plague to contemporary diseases like Ebola (but that due to the 2010 publication date of Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book, there would not of course be anything about covid-19, bird flu or SARS yet), from bacterial and fungal afflictions to genetic mutations that impact bones, skin and skeletal structures or mimic the werewolves and vampires of folklore and horror, from worms to different forms of lice, this is generally presented solidly factually, meaning that Silverstein shows and describes the basics adequately correctly in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book and thus also provides with his presented text (and equally with the appreciated suggestions for further reading) to and for an intended audience of young readers/listeners from about the age of eight to ten or so a decent enough general introduction.

And indeed, and furthermore, Gerald Kelley's illustrations for Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book, they do provide a brightly colourful, often also intensely funny visual accompaniment to and for Alvin Silverstein's printed words (and one that in particular children with a desire and a need to visual humour will likely both appreciate and enjoy). But personally speaking, my adult self and equally so my inner child, we both do tend to find Kelley's artwork for Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book much too silly, much too deliberately aesthetically humorous and as such also kind of taking away from the seriousness of the showcased afflictions (so that I really only visually truly like the accompanying and very realistic photographs for Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book and must consider Gerald Kelley's penchant for using illustrative humour as having the unfortunate result and tendency of potentially trivialising Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book, to make Silverstein's presented facts and information feel not as serious and not as potentially devastating and even as potentially lethal as many, as a very sizeable majority of the afflictions presented and described in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book in act and definitely are).

But to be honest, while Gerald Kelley's illustrations certainly have to a certain extent a bit negatively affected my rating for Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book, the main reason for me only considering two stars is for the most part textual and as such of course majorly and problematically content based. For while what Alvin Silverstein writes in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book is (and as already pointed out above) factual (in other words true, realistic and medically, scientifically sound), there is at the same time and very much unfortunately equally (and in my humble opinion) a real and troubling sub-current of misleading and problematic information and negative author attitudes present. Therefore and for example, while I do appreciate that in the section of Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book on leprosy, Alvin Silverstein shows that leprosy (Hansen's Disease) is actually not all that infectious, he fails to then also write that very many if not even the majority of the leper colonies of the past in Europe, Hawaii etc. had much to do with racism and with a hatred and a mistrust of individuals who were poor and/or homeless than with actually curing and caring for the afflicted (and that many people forced into leper colonies actually did not even suffer from the disease but from allergies, eczema, scurvy etc.), not to mention that the generally denigrating attitude Silverstein demonstrates in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book towards ALL bacteria and ALL fungi really does really make me cringe, since there are also lots of beneficial bacteria and fungi out there and that this absolutely and totally needs to be mentioned in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book. And no, Mr. Silverstein, head lice are not (and as you do kind of textually insinuate) a sign of poor personal hygiene and farmers equally did not deliberately make their livestock fatally ill with Mad Cow disease (and that it should thus be shown in Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book how head lice are in fact far more attracted to clean than to dirty hair and that it was the cattle feed companies selling pellets etc. containing dangerous animal protein prions to farmers and not farmers knowingly and thoughtlessly feeding their cattle with these pellets that caused Mad Cow disease, that the farmers were also and generally the victims here and more often than not totally unaware that their livestock supplements were dangerous and contained animal by-products gleaned and harvested from infected goats and sheep).

And finally, while I would not unilaterally claim that Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book should not be shared with children (as Alvin Silverstein does featured a lot of good information), in my opinion, Silverstein's textual body most definitely needs discussion, expansion and that I therefore only do recommend Tapeworms, Foot Fungus, Lice, and More: The Yucky Disease Book with necessary caveats and reservations. (hide spoiler)]

Old SF for tweens, Rewind to Yesterday, seemed like a fun exploration of Time Travel via VCR. But it turns out it's book one of two, and ends very unsatisfactorily, and the sequel is not avl. on openlibrary or anywhere else. Skip it.

Cheryl wrote: "Old SF for tweens, Rewind to Yesterday, seemed like a fun exploration of Time Travel via VCR. But it turns out it's book one of two, and ends very unsatisfactorily, and the sequel is..."

Thanks, and once again, it certainly does seem as though STEM fiction seems a lot less satisfying and less interesting than STEM themes and contents for non fiction (something that I do find annoying and also a bit surprising),

I, too, find it surprising. I know I've read MG novels that have a lot of science in them, but of course I can't remember them now and my shelves are not organized.

Cheryl wrote: "I, too, find it surprising. I know I've read MG novels that have a lot of science in them, but of course I can't remember them now and my shelves are not organized."

I have actually noticed that many of the specifically STEM novels geared towards young readers have much more of a tendency to equate science and other STEM talents with nerdiness and strange behaviour than novels where STEM is just part of an overall school picture.

So yes, Stephen Brusatte's 2022 The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us shows why I do very much prefer non fiction STEM books (and although The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us has not been penned specifically with young readers in mind, Brusatte's chatty, nicely simple, educational without becoming overwhelming and not using too much jargon makes his text suitable for interested readers from about the age of thirteen or so onwards and might even work for in-class reading material). The book is wonderful, it shows why and how mammals likely survived the KT Boundary mass extinction even 65 million years ago while all of the dinosaurs except for birds did not (mostly to do with dentition, jaws and hearing) and indeed, the only reason why my rating for The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us is not yet five stars is that I did want a bit more information on birds (even if just as an appendix).

(view spoiler)[Well, dinosaurs seem to fascinate almost everyone, and yes, the author of The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us (2022) has in fact not only discovered and named fifteen dinosaur species but University of Edinburgh palaeontology professor Stephen Brusatte has also worked as a scientific advisor for the Jurassic Park movies, which does kind of makes me appreciate the movies a bit more and the fact that actual palaeontologists served as advisers (and Stephen Brusatte is equally the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World).

However, I guess I should probably point out that I am not really a member of the "dinosaurs are so so so wonderful and cool" crowd, as ever since my early childhood, I have in fact been far more interested in and fascinated by the evolution of mammals and how they survived the K-T Boundary mass extinction event whilst dinosaurs did not. Although yes, it does seem and is also generally palaeontology-wise accepted nowadays that one particular group of dinosaurs, namely class aves, namely birds, actually did survive the mass extinction of 65 million years ago to flourish and to evolve successfully alongside of mammals (except perhaps regarding humans, but let's face the facts here, we as a collective, massively overpopulated and sadly also greedy and self-centred primate species are also a danger to many if not even perhaps to most other mammals as well including ourselves I may add and thus not just to birds, that humanity as a whole is really and sadly in fact a major danger and threat to life itself, since according to Stephen Brusatte's text in the part of The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us about primates, including us humans, including homo sapiens, our behaviour, our actions and in particular 19th century and onwards pollution, excessive industrial and vehicle emissions caused global warming is happening not only really much too quickly but also with the same kinds of wild and crazy temperature swings and issues encountered during the Permian/Triassic mass extinction event, which decimated almost ninety percent of life on earth and kind of even makes other such events and even the K-T Boundary one look rather like the proverbial small potatoes in many ways).

But indeed, while I am certainly pleased that Stephen Brusatte does point out in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us that avian dinosaurs survived 65 million years ago (just like mammals did), I really do kind of wish that there could be a bit more information on birds being the one group of dinosaurs that are still with us being textually presented in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us (albeit I do naturally also realise that this book, that The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us is not about birds and is thus basically and mostly about mammals and solely about mammals, but really, why not put a brief chapter on avian evolution as say an appendix in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us, because Stephen Brusatte's presented text as it is and appears now, and at least for and to me, it does feel rather annoyingly dismissive of and towards birds and that they are obviously just as much K-T Boundary survivors as mammals, and in fact the only dinosaurs to be this).

And according to popular belief, dinosaurs ruled planet Earth rather supremely until they were wiped out en masse by that meteor strike 65 million years ago and whereupon mammals then and pretty much abruptly and totally took over. However, while this is factually correct (except that and as already mentioned above not only mammals but also avian dinosaurs survived and flourished), with The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us Stephen Brusatte textually shows that mammals not only succeeded dinosaurs but that mammals had existed alongside dinosaurs right back to their very beginnings, that both dinosaurs and mammals share a common ancestor (appearing around 325 million years ago and with this small lizard like creature evolving into two major lineages, one eventually becoming reptiles, including dinosaurs and yes also birds, and the other line mammals.

Readers who remember their high school biology classes (or are currently taking high school biology since the nicely simple, uncomplicated and with thankfully not too much scientific jargon text Brusatte provides makes The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us suitable for in my humble opinion a general readership of anyone aged thirteen to fourteen or so onwards) will know that mammals are endothermic, are covered with hair and feature mammary glands that produce milk to feed their offspring. But such "true" mammals actually did not appear for nearly 100 million years after the splitting of the lines into reptiles and mammals (and indeed and naturally, these types of features would also not fossilize well if at all). But yes, Brusatte really excels in explaining in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us how palaeontologists show (and have shown) with the fossils they have found that what actually makes mammals mammals is first and foremost not so much their warm bloodedness (since birds are also endothermic and that many dinosaur species are now considered to likely have been warm blooded as well), their hair and their mammary glands, but rather their teeth, their jaws and their ears (their hearing), that these three interrelated anatomical features are what highlight the differences between mammals and other organisms (and that live birth and milk-secreting glands may seem at first the most useful adaptations possessed by mammals, well, the evolutionary story is far more complex, and that indeed, not only mammals give birth to live young, since there are in fact also some fishes that do the same, and not to mention that no one now believes anymore that dinosaurs did not take care of their young, so that The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us totally and unilaterally shows how the main difference between dinosaurs and mammals are related to their jaws, their dentition and how they hear, and that is is indeed also these features that kept mammals alive and flourishing after the meteor impact 65 million years ago since it allowed mammals to still be able to eat, to chew the nuts and seeds that had survived whilst all other dinosaurs except for birds pretty much starved to death).

And yes with The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us, Stephen Brusatte provides a superlative natural history for those of us interested in what came after the extinction of the dinosaurs, with a readable, educational and thankfully also never too complicated text (and with extensive, nicely annotated and explained endnotes), a solidly four star book for me (and indeed with my only reason for not rating The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us with five stars being that I do want a bit more details on birds and that I thus kind of think Brusatte should be a bit more forceful mentioning how birds are in fact now considered a type of dinosaur and that therefore while most dinosaurs were made extinct 65 million years ago, avian dinosaurs, just like mammals, managed to successfully survive). (hide spoiler)]

Oh and I am also planning on reading by the same Stephen Brusatte

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World

The Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World’s Most Remarkable Animals

(and the latter seems to be penned for younger readers)

Iggy Peck, Architect
The little one enjoyed this one, and I thought story and rhyme were sublime, and adored the illustrations.

I found Walking with Dinosaurs Handbook (published in 2013, middle grade and suitable for readers from about the age of nine or so onwards) on Open Library. Did not really enjoy the first person narration (by a Cretaceous bird) and found much of the tale whilst interesting enough to a point much too anthropomorphic for me and to such an extent that I really only read the total non fiction supplementals in detail and skimmed through the story part (and would with these supplementals have given Walking with Dinosaurs Handbook a three star rating until I noticed that Calliope Glass has not bothered with a bibliography, which made me only consider two stars).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also reading by Stephen Brusatte Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia, just started and yes thus far the book is a lot better than Walking with Dinosaurs Handbook, as there is not "cute" story and dinosaurs with personal names to be encountered, just factual information on dinosaurs, palaeontologists etc. (not sure I personally care all that much about dinosaur art, but I can see how this might interest young readers who have watched and enjoyed movies like Jurassic Park). More when I have actually finished Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia but so far and so good.

Mimi wrote: "Iggy Peck, Architect
The little one enjoyed this one, and I thought story and rhyme were sublime, and adored the illustrations."

Yes! This is a worthy entry to the list for sure!

Cheryl wrote: "Mimi wrote: "Iggy Peck, Architect
The little one enjoyed this one, and I thought story and rhyme were sublime, and adored the illustrations."
..."

I should try reading Iggy Peck, but since I did not at all like Ada Twist, Scientist (even though I do seem to be the minority with regard to this), I kind of stayed away from the Iggy Peck book.

I feel a bit of a hypocrite really liking Gordon Korman's MacDonald Hall series (and having a huge literary crush on lovable science nerd Elmer Drimsdale and both laughing at and also appreciating his many science experiments, since I do kind of find STEM middle grade and young adult fiction that focuses too much on nerdiness not that interesting). But then again, Gordon Korman does not generally overuse Elmer Drimsdale and also makes him into a character who is nerdy but likeable, not really ever all that full of himself, willing to admit making mistakes and basically just someone who loves science and loves experimenting (although yes, my inner teenager likes Elmer much more than my older adult self).

Manybooks wrote: "I feel a bit of a hypocrite really liking Gordon Korman's MacDonald Hall series (and having a huge literary crush on lovable science nerd Elmer Drimsdale and both laughing at and also appreciating ..."

That's fair!

Mushroom Rain

Lovely illustrations and a main text that is poetic and flowing but also a bit overly simple. However, the back matter, the supplemental information on mushrooms, the activities and the bibliographic materials is amazing and wonderfully informative and ups my rating from three to five stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have not had a chance to review DK Publishing's Humongous Fungus yet, but I will say that the information presented is interesting, extensive without being overwhelming for young readers and that text shows both how fungi are beneficial and can also be harmful (and that life on earth requires fungi). But yeah, like typical for DK Publishing, no suggestions for further reading (and that the acknowledgments are alright as source notes but could definitely be a bit more user friendly).

Just to say that I do find it problematic how far too may longer STEM themed non fiction picture books seem to not include lists for further reading and often do not even bother with listing sources (which I might find grudgingly acceptable for picture books geared towards younger children, but when this is also the case for books meant for for older children, I find this rather problematic).

I highly recommend Anna Claybourne's 2019 non fiction picture book Amazing Evolution: The Journey of Life. It is extensive, beautifully illustrated, informative and written in a manner that is sufficiently simple for easy comprehension for anyone from about the age of nine or so onwards (so not too intensive and not textually overwhelming but also never simplistic and also thankfully never artificially humorous). Really liked the combination of text and images, but I do have to wonder why there is no bibliography included (as for a detailed and informational non fiction picture book of eighty pages on evolution and the history of life, in my opinion, source acknowledgements and a list of books and websites for further reading and study really are a must).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And Amazing Evolution: The Journey of Life has also been translated into Persian, Finnish, Romanian, Turkish, Italian, French, Bulgarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and German.

The Ocean is a very huge and global ecosystem and with the 2022 picture book The Global Ocean Rochelle Strauss provides a wonderful and factual description of not only the global ocean but also the many environmental issues (like climate change etc.) troubling it, what is being done to mitigate the damage and suggestions for what children can do themselves to help.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I forgot to add a big shout out of YAY to Rochelle Strauss' Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth, which I think is pretty much a perfect STEM picture book for older children (but also for adults and young adults, for anyone over the age of eight or so). And even with my three star rating,
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth is highly recommended, as there are no actual errors and just some personal preferences.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth does a pretty good job showing what water means for the earth and how water is necessary for every part of life on earth (and also shows that water conservation is important) and with both Rochelle Strauss' text and Rosemary Woods' artwork working very well together. But I do find the absence of bibliographic information annoying and I also think that what Strauss writes about evolution is confusing and she stating that the earth is the only planet with liquid water should be qualified with "known to date" as most scientists in fact believe that there are many planets (or moons) with liquid water in the universe but that we just have not found them yet.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.miragenews.com/researcher...

Do not give trees too many human attributes, and yes, this is also why for me Peter Wohlleben's Das geheime Leben der Bäume: Was sie fühlen, wie sie kommunizieren - die Entdeckung einer verborgenen Welt (The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World) is basically and with regard to actual scientific knowledge and facts rather problematic (and not a book I would due to this suggest for younger readers).

Now with regard to Wohleben's book on animals, Das Seelenleben der Tiere: Liebe, Trauer, Mitgefühl - erstaunliche Einblicke in eine verborgene Welt (The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion -- Surprising Observations of a Hidden World) is better and not as far fetched as the tree book. But it is still too anthropomorphic for me and also too much into just showing the author's personal observations whilst eschewing and not considering important scientific proofs and solid research.

From Grass to Bridge
This interesting and informative book extols and describes the engineering success of Peruvian (Incan) grass bridges. One bridge in particular has been in the same place for 500 years, although it is rebuilt each year. The grass is twisted into rope and the rope twisted into huge cables from which to make the bridges. The book also briefly mentions other bridges made from other types of materials, including a bridge made from roots. Numerous photos provide further information on each page. The book concludes with a STEM project of creating a 7-inch bridge with craft sticks, a glossary, and an index. Suitable for about 3rd-5th grade students. The book is also available in a Spanish edition.

Beverly wrote: "From Grass to Bridge
This interesting and informative book extols and describes the engineering success of Peruvian (Incan) grass bridges. One bridge in particular has been in the s..."

Cool, and I love the idea of having a project at the back to build a bridge (we had to do something similar at school, but not wth craft sticks but with dried pasta).

When the Whales Walked: And Other Incredible Evolutionary Journeys (Volume 1) is not specifically about Charles Darwin (and kind of interesting that he is not even mentioned, but it totally works), but a great both textual and visual introduction to evolution (and with my only complaints being no bibliography and that I do wish Dougal Dixon would add in his section on humans and prehistoric humans that it is now accepted from genetic evidence that most Europeans or those of European origin have some Neanderthal DNA).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Why Don't Fish Drown?: And other vital questions about the animal kingdom is a fast reading, fun and engagingly educational book featuring 22 animal based questions a curious child might have and pose, nicely answered, pro evolution (and that human beings are part of the animal kingdom and related to all other animal species but in fact also tp plants, fungi, to the entire tree of life, a wonderful book not just for child readers and with my only textual annoyance being the lack of bibliographical materials.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Humongous Fungus is excellent, shows what fungi are and how they are essential for healthy ecosystems (but also showing of course that fungi both help and harm and that some mushrooms can be lethally toxic to and for humans). Excellent information, wonderful artwork but like generally the case with DK publishing a not too user friendly acknowledgement page that I also do not really think works as a bibliography (four stars though even with that and highly recommended). And Lynne Boddy is also a leading mycologist and a professor at the of Cardiff (Wales).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I do have to admit that with DK Publishing's non fiction books, I guess that the lacking and if present often pretty user unfriendly bibliographical materials are likely due publisher demands and wishes. For yes, considering that Lynne Boddy is a well known mycologist and professor she would know about citing sources etc. and that I thus kind of think that DK Publishing has demanded from Boddy that the acknowledgment page for Humongous Fungus be a certain (and massively annoying) way (and all DK Publishing books I have read seem to be the same and more like photo acknowledgements and not really easy to use)

I do not at all recommend 100 Deadliest Things on the Planet. Anna Claybourne does not mention that humans are in fact far more dangerous than many if not most of the featured "dangerous" animals etc. and she also always seems to see humans as mostly just victims (which is annoying since humans often court danger, goad animals, hunt and stalk animals, are silly about natural disasters, poisonous plants etc.). None of the info is actually wrong, of course, but there is much that is misleading at best and rather anti wildlife (and with photographs focussing only on how dangerous the featured animals are).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have only skimmed through Anna Claybourne's Evolution and Classification (and it looks like it is also published with the title What Do You Know About Evolution and Classification?). But although Evolution and Classification is a bit dry and feels more like a text to use in a classroom or homeschooling setting and not for pleasure reading, I do appreciate the clear and concise explanations Claybourne presents, that she has some interesting evolution and classification themed STEM activities listed that look both fun and educational to do (either at school or at home) and that there is also a list of books and websites for further reading and research provided.

The Story of Science presents a decent enough introduction to all things science for young readers, but is a bit too extensive without enough details (and that this as well as the non inclusion of a bibliography makes me rate the combination of Anna Claybourne's text and Adam Larkum's illustrations with only three stars, still recommended but I definitely am wanting a bit more textual intensivity).

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So Anna Claybourne's The Story of Inventions is basically pretty much the same in set-up, presentation and text as her The Story of Science (lots of interesting and educational information about inventions throughout history and now, but for me with a bit too much extensivity and not enough details, fun but often a bit silly and much too cartoon like accompanying illustrations by Adam Larkum ). Not really in the mood to post an actual review (since it would definitely be just a carbon copy of the one about science), but yes, I would likely rate The Story of Inventions with four stars since unlike for The Story of Science (which has no bibliographic materials at all being provided), there are at least a bunch of internet links included in The Story of Inventions.

The Mushroom Hunt has really gorgeous illustrations celebrating both mushrooms and the environment (and giving some good information as well and also showing a family that has fun together). But I do not agree with Simon Frazer showing gathering and collecting mushrooms in such a positive light (and that frankly, children should not be encouraged to go mushroom collecting, too many poisonous mushrooms out there and also in my opinion not all that environmentally responsible).

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Manybooks wrote: "The Story of Science presents a decent enough introduction to all things science for young readers, but is a bit too extensive without enough details (and that this as well as the no..."

And yes, The Story of Science is part of a series.

The Story of Science
Story of the Second World War
The Story of Inventions
The Story of Astronomy and Space
Story of Planet Earth
The Story of Exploration by Anna Claybourne
The Story of the First World War

All of these are interesting, educational and with visually engaging artwork (sometimes a bit artificially funny, at least in my opinion) and sadly also with not enough details (extensive but not intensive enough for adult readers but nice introductions for an intended audience of readers/listeners from about the age of eight to twelve or so). No books listed as sources and for further reading, but there are generally are internet links provided for the most recent editions or for updated ones (but I personally would want more than just online resources).

Just want to point out that the Miscellaneous Club for this group has a number of STEM themes, like for example the May 2021 thread on Seymour Simon (and so it is worth checking these for book ideas and choices, as is the Picture Book Club).

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

But I will say something about Seymour Simon'w work. He has been very prolific, is generally informative and versatile, but also does tend to often not include bibliographies (although some of his updated editions do now at least contain websites, but that I personally prefer to see both online and book resources being provided).

And another thing to consider with Seymour Simon is that he also has written many books that have updated editions (and that those updated editions often contain bibliographies, and of course more recent information). For example, I definitely would ONLY recommend the 2014 updated and revised version of Our Solar System: Revised Edition, as it contains online resources and also now lists Pluto as a dwarf planet and no longer as the ninth planet (which even if I personally do not agree with this, is the current standard and status).

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Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children is very much the same as Keepers of Life: Discovering Plants through Native American Stories and Earth Activities for Children, with the only difference being that the former, that Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children primarily focuses on animals and thus not on plants (and also shows the importance of hunting to and for Native Americans and Canadians and that this is not considered a sport but something providing sustenance and also in Native American lore meant to be a spiritual celebration of the animals providing for humans). Highly recommended as a teaching, conservation activity and also a Native American storytelling (OwnVoices) resource (since Joseph Bruchac is Abenaki even if Michael J. Caputo is not Native American)

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Do not recommend Seymour Simon's Science Dictionary (as even the 2012 edition still lists Pluto as the ninth planet, even though Pluto has been considered a dwarf planet since 2006, there are no bibliographical materials and no suggestions for further reading provided and that ALL women of science except for Marie Curie are ignored by Seymour Simon).

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So yes, the 1993 edition of Weather once again contains no bibliography (but the updated editions might perhaps contain some websites, but on Open Library, I only found the 1993 edition with no secondary sources at all).

Provides a decent general introduction to all things weather related. But I do at times find Seymour Simon’s text a trifle patronising and also wish that there was a bit more criticism of man made pollution and how this can and does affect global weather and weather patterns.

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Over the Rainbow: The Science, Magic and Meaning of Rainbows

This is excellent both with regard to text and images and shows a wonderful and basic (but not simplistic) introduction to rainbows (and not just scientifically but also culturally, historically, mythologically. But like with all Flying Eye Books publications I have read to date, there is unfortunately no bibliographical materials provided. However, the lack of biographical materials is the ONLY thing that I have issues with and indeed, Over the Rainbow: The Science, Magic and Meaning of Rainbows is very highly recommended by me.

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Just wanted to point out that even though my rating for Landscapes of the Solar System is only three stars (no bibliography and would appreciate both illustrations and photographs), I would definitely consider Landscapes of the Solar System as highly recommended, since it is up-to-date with regard to current scientific knowledge regarding the solar system and also thankfully neither ignores Pluto nor still considers Pluto the ninth Planet but clearly shows that Pluto is now considered to be a dwarf planet.

(view spoiler)[I am rather annoyed and disappointed at only being able to grant Landscapes of the Solar System (which was originally published in Spanish under the title of Paisajes Desconocidos del Sistema Solar and is of course with its 2022 publication date really up-to-date and current regarding the astronomy, regarding the science being featured) but three stars (although yes, I do still quite highly recommend Landscapes of the Solar System). For yes, Aina Bestard's presented artwork for Landscapes of the Solar System, it is absolutely aesthetically brilliant and stunning, with much colourful (albeit sometimes a wee bit too darkly hued for my eyes) visual detail providing a spectacular, imaginative but also realistic accompaniment to and for the presented textual data and information presented in Landscapes of the Solar System by the ALMA (by the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, the biggest radio radio telescope in the world, located in Chile's Atacama Desert) and by astrophysicist Dr. Antonio Hales (translated into English by Matthew Clarke), albeit that yes, I do kind of wish that aside from Bestard's glorious and superbly rendered pictures, there would also in Landscapes of the Solar System be included actual photographs of the sun, the planets, the asteroid belt and the like. Because while I of course (and as already clearly shown) visually totally and utterly adore Aina Bestard's artwork, I personally do kind of want and prefer a combination of both drawn pictures and photographs for Landscapes of the Solar System. And well, regarding the actual textual portions of Landscapes of the Solar System, Dr. Anthony Hales (and the ALMA radio telescope data) feature and present a nicely detailed introduction to basically every part of our solar system, from its place in the universe and in the Milky Way galaxy, to the sun, the individual (now eight) planets, why Pluto's status as ninth planet changed to being a dwarf planet in 2006 (with much both numerical and verbal current and as such also not dated information), simply but informatively and above all scientifically penned and suitable for young readers from about the age of eight or so onwards but in my opinion for anyone wanting a basic and scientifically sound, academically straight-forward account regarding the solar system and where there is also no textual silliness and/or forced humour and authorial chattiness ever being encountered but only interesting and enlightening details on the solar system and on the aptly named diverse, intriguing and fascinating Landscapes of the Solar System.

But as much as the combination of text and images for Landscapes of the Solar System has been pretty much five stars for me (and yes, even with the absence of photographs), that there is no bibliography provided in Landscapes of the Universe with titles (with books, websites etc.) for further reading and study, well, this does majorly annoy and infuriate me (and enough so to lower my rating for Landscapes of the Solar System to only three stars). Because honestly, considering that Landscapes of the Solar System is entirely non-fiction and as such totally scientific in scope and nature, I personally do find the non inclusion of secondary sources rather hugely academically problematic and seriously reducing the supplemental research and thus also the educational value of Landscapes of the Solar System (and no, simply mentioning the ALMA telescope is for me not sufficient by any stretch of my imagination), and not to mention that an astrophysicist with a PhD like Dr. Antonio Hales should certainly and definitely know better than to not provide academic sources for a presented text. And while I still do think that Landscapes of the Solar System is a very decent and also a nicely scientifically sound textual introduction to our solar system, the absence of bibliographical materials is for me a major and a hugely problematic oversight and faux pas. (hide spoiler)]

Don't Read This Book Before Bed: Thrills, Chills, and Hauntingly True Stories

Fun, balanced but the set-up is a bit annoying and distracting and I really do wish there were a list of books for further reading provided as much of the information (most of the information) is not all that intensive and not all that detailed.

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