by Lola M Schaefer (Author) James Yang (Illustrator)
What is light, and how does it shape our world? Acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning artist James Yang illuminate the essential concept of light in this playful and informative picture book. An educational and inventive picture book for readers of David Macaulay and Jason Chin, and anyone curious about how light impacts our world.
Light is everywhere: from the shining sun to a bright light bulb to a glowing firefly. Light from a flashlight helps you see in the dark, and light from the sun makes plants grow. And did you know that light makes X-rays possible, and also keeps cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes moving safely? It even allows us to see deep into space! Where would we be without light?
From acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning illustrator James Yang, Spark, Shine, Glow! features a fact-filled, lively text full of rhythm and repetition, as well as engaging and informative illustrations illuminating key STEM concepts. A companion to their Lift, Mix, Fling!: Machines Can Do Anything, Spark, Shine, Glow! is for curious children, young scientists, classrooms, and family story-times.
Includes a glossary.
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K-Gr 3--Rhyming text and colorful illustrations explore different types of light as well as its various scientific properties. Familiar light sources--sun, flashlights, fireworks--are paired with more unusual ones, such as bioluminescent sea creatures and the aurora borealis, to demonstrate the range found in the world. "Light is energy," an organizing principle of the book, is supported by examples, with varying degrees of success. Topics like natural versus artificial light are simply explained, while passages such as "Prisms and raindrops/ both refract light/ which helps form rainbows--/ an optical delight!" is a lot for children to unpack. The book's greatest strengths are in the questions it will prompt. Three girls and three boys of varying ethnicities (and one blue-green bear) form the cast of characters. Pair with Lights Day and Night by Susan Hughes for a more in-depth investigation. Includes a glossary of terms and author's note. VERDICT The attempt to put complex topics into simple text sometimes results in confusing organization and stilted rhymes, while charming illustrations greatly enhance the appeal for children.--Sue Morgan
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