Friday, May 30, 2008

ISSAC NEWTON AND THE LAWS OF MOTION


AUTHOR: Andrea Gianopoulos
ILLUSTRATOR: Phil Miller
PUBLISHER: Capstone Press
GENRE: Biography & Science

FORMAT: Reinforced library binding
PAGES: 32 pages
COLOR: Full color
ISBN-10: 0-7368-6847-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-7368-6847-1


STORY REVIEW
Part biography and part science lesson, ISAAC NEWTON AND THE LAWS OF MOTION tells more of a tale than a falling apple and the theory of gravity. We learn about the perseverance of Newton and how his laws of motion have impacted space travel and daily life. Who knew that equations and ellipsis, tides and orbits could be so interesting?


ART REVIEW
Heavy inks and only a few panels per page make for a straightforward read for kids and young teens. The illustrations tend to explain Newton’s theories, so the reader can grasp the information presented. A perfect example is the discussion of velocity and gravity as it applies to the firing of a cannonball around the world. At the end of the page, the theory makes sense.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
My Rating: Ages 8 and older
Publisher’s Reading Level: Grades 3-4
Publisher’s Interest Level: Grades 3-9

Guided Reading Level: T
Lexile Level: 790L
ATOS Level: 4.7
AR Quiz No.: 112281
Dewey: 530.092


IN THE CLASSROOM
This text is designed for use in the classroom. A student could use it for a research project on Isaac Newton or on his scientific theories. With the illustrations, an elementary student could easily create a presentation to demonstrate his knowledge of gravity and how it applies to the world.


OTHER INFORMATION
This is a part of Capstone’s “Invention and Discovery” series. Other titles include:

  • Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone
  • Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin
  • George Eastman and the Kodak Camera
  • Hedy Lamarr and a Secret Communication System
  • Henry Ford and the Model T
  • Jake Burton Carpenter and the Snowboard
  • Johann Gutenberg and the Printing Press
  • Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine
  • Levi Strauss and Blue Jeans
  • Louis Pasteur and Pasteurization
  • Madam C. J. Walker and New Cosmetics
  • Marie Curie and Radioactivit
  • Samuel Morse and the Telegraph
  • Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and the Personal Computer
  • Thomas Edison and the Lightbulb
  • The Wright Brothers and the Airplane

MY RECOMMENDATION:
Highly Recommended
It is great. Kids love to learn about how things are made and they will be especially interested to know that Newton started experimenting at age 11.

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