Review: Children’s Science Books Essay, Research Paper

Einstein and friendsDK Guide to the Human Body by Richard Walker 64pp, Dorling KindersleyIllustrated Dinosaur Encyclopedia by David Burnie 224pp, KingfisherLife Finds its Feet by Jacqui Bailey 32pp, A&C BlackDead Famous: Albert Einstein and his Inflatable Universe by Mike Goldsmith 192pp, ScholasticMega Bites: Bugs by Chris Maynard 96pp, Dorling KindersleyMaterials by Alastair Smith, Philip Clarke & Corinne Henderson 64pp, UsborneOne of my vivid memories as a parent was the day that my daughter first looked through a microscope and discovered a world beyond the limits of unaided vision. Her expressions of bewilderment, revelation and then sheer pleasure encapsulated what science is really about. It can give us a means to satisfy our curiosity and explore our surroundings; whatever the consequences of the technologies it spawns, it can be empowering.Why, then, are science subjects declining in popularity in schools and universities? Perhaps there are just not enough opportunities for experiencing, first-hand, the pleasure of personal discoveries that will sustain pupils through years of assimilating scientific facts and educational testing. Without some level of participation, science ceases to be something that is individually fulfilling and becomes a service provided by experts. Science books for the young can foster participation, not just with inspirational graphics and accessible text but also by stimulating curiosity-driven personal exploration. So how does this year’s crop of shortlisted titles for the Aventis Junior Prize for Science Books, for under-14s, measure up?Dorling Kindersley has a reputation for lavishly illustrated reference books and Richard Walker’s DK Guide to the Human Body is a visual treat. Combining graphics with scanning electron micrographs, X-rays and false-colour images from medical scanning technologies, it takes readers on a journey through the inner workings of the body. It’s lovely to look at, and the universal accessibility of the subject matter guarantees personal involvement. One problem with the imagery is that there is often little sense of relative scale. Kidneys are pictured on a smaller scale than their components, bacteria many times bigger than body cells; without more guidance, illustrations – however spectacular – can be confusing.David Burnie’s Illustrated Dinosaur Encyclopedia might have been just another good dinosaur book, but for the fact that it sets them in context by following the evolution of animal life from its origins 600 million years ago and briefly tracing the subsequent rise of birds and mammals. John Sibbick’s illustrations are some of the best ever produced. Another strong point of Burnie’s encyclopedia is that it also describes how palaeontologists work, which helps to define the boundaries be-tween scientific fact and speculation when attempting to bring the fossil past to life.Some of the most amazing animals in Burnie’s book are not dinosaurs, but their antecedents – such as the weird Cambrian fauna and Silurian sea scorpions. This territory is explored in Jacqui Bailey’s lively Life Finds its Feet, illustrated with cartoons by Matthew Lilly. Aimed at younger readers, and one of the Cartoon History of the Earth series, it is a delightful introduction to the early stages of animal evolution. Cartoons are also a key element in Mike Goldsmith’s Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and his Inflatable Universe, illustrated by Phillip Reeve. This tackles the daunting task of explaining the theory of relativity by setting it in a biographical context, and succeeds by using Scholastic’s tried and tested formula of combining humour and science. It will attract graduates from the publisher’s well-known Horrible Science series, which has done much to dispel the impression that science is a po-faced profession.Mega Bites: Bugs by Chris Maynard is an information-rich text, but I can’t help feeling that here was a lost opportunity to foster some further involvement. Readers could see for themselves many of the behavioural traits described, with a little encouragement. So far, then, plenty to inspire, amaze and amuse, but not much incentive to participate.Any publisher looking for titles that will sell to young readers quickly realises that bugs, wacky scientists, dinosaurs and the workings of our own bodies are fertile territory. It takes bravery and imagination to tackle a subject with less popular appeal, like chemistry. Alastair Smith, Philip Clarke and Corinne Henderson have done this exceptionally well in Materials, which succeeds on several levels. First, it brings chemistry alive, taking a trip through liquids, solids, gases and the elements in the context of our daily lives. It also uses text, graphics and photography in an exceptionally clear, well-structured, informative way. But best of all it encourages readers to see for themselves some aspect of the subject. The authors make a real effort to involve readers in some form of participation. In my youth one could buy chemistry sets with enough interesting compounds to make a sizeable explosion, dissolve holes in clothes and generate smells that lingered in the upholstery for days. In our safety-conscious and litigious society they have disappeared. Materials is the only shortlisted book that uses this medium in a well-integrated way. There are weblinks on every page that encourage further investigation. Usborne has developed a dedicated Quicklinks website that guides readers to safe and reliable information resources. Some – like the snowflakes website linked to page 17 – will simply astound readers who explore them. Here is a book that really will set readers on a trail of discovery.· Phil Gates is lecturer in botany at Durham University