Have you ever wondered how wi-fi works, popcorn pops, people can stand on surf boards, or why chameleons change color? Then Big Book of How is for you. This book is divided into eleven sections: Animals, Being Prepared, Sports, Buildings, Science, Transportation, Home-Tech, Food, Space, The Human Body, and Going Green, and answers a total of 501 questions kids want to know. Each page is filled with full color photos, diagrams, “factoids,” and explanations of how stuff works. Hands on projects help you put your new-found knowledge to use and a glossary of terms in the back of the book makes finding the answers to your burning questions easy!
Big Book of How from Time Home Entertainment is a great book for curious young minds everywhere. It is touted as a book for kids, but honestly, I learned a lot from it. So I’m not sure that I’m qualified to judge the factual accuracy of the book. The pictures and diagrams are great, and everything is written in a way that is easy to understand, without talking down to the reader. There are a few places where the formatting could have been better. Many of the facts are in word bubbles scattered across the page, and they can be easily overlooked. The best parts of the book are the “hands on” sections. There are games, crafts, and some projects that would be great for a school science fair. A few parental notes; the book discusses mating, urine and feces. Although it is done tastefully, it may be too much for young readers. Also, the text relies heavily on the Theory of Evolution, without mentioning that it is only one theory, which may anger some. I recommend that every parent read this book. That way, when your kid asks you how the microwave oven works, you’ll be able to answer the question and appear just a little bit smarter than you really are.
