Review by Booklist Review
PreS.^-Gr.2. Cobb takes a fresh approach to science for young children in the Science Play series. Each book introduces a single, simple concept through words, pictures, and experimentation (or as the series title would have it, "play"). Indeed, Cobb encourages adults reading the book aloud to put the book aside whenever an activity is suggested and let the child explore and discover before continuing reading. The bold graphics feature strong, simplified forms, colors, and patterns as well as the creative use of typography to represent, say, the path of a bouncing beam of light or the shape of a drop of water dripping from a faucet. In I Get Wet, a boy learns some of the properties of water through pouring it into different containers, observing it drip and flow, and trying to absorb it with waxed paper and paper toweling. I See Myself features a girl who finds out a little about vision, light, and reflection by playing with a mirror, a flashlight, and a bouncing ball. The crisp, upbeat look of the digital illustrations contrasts sharply with the often posed and tired-looking photographs routinely used in books of science experiments for young children. This playful approach reflects the enthusiastic tone in Cobb's text, which encourages children to discover for themselves the properties of water and light. An eye-opening debut for a promising series. --Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Two accessible titles in the Vicki Cobb Science Play series by veteran educator Vicki Cobb, illus. by Julia Gorton, teach science basics. In I Get Wet, hands-on experiments and clear examples help youngsters discover the intricacies of H2O. I See Myself explores what makes mirrors work. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-Two basic concept books, one about the fluidity of water (Wet), and the other about the reflection of light (See). The initial page in each title is essentially the same, and Cobb suggests that adults should read this "Note to the Reader" in order to use each work to its best advantage. She advises that children listen to the text and stop to perform the simple experiments before reading continues. The equipment needed is readily available, and experiments are simple enough that youngsters can feel proud to have accomplished the tasks by themselves. Colorful illustrations, which appear to be generated by computer, range from visually appealing and clever to just plain boring. The text line can bounce off at an angle as in reflecting light or form the shape of a drop of water. Useful introductions for preschool science.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Preschool) These two activity-based science books encourage preschoolers to think more scientifically about their everyday experiences with water and light. The books serve as guides for adults and children working together on activities and are designed to be read for a few pages, set aside to conduct an observation or experiment, and then returned to in order to make sense of what just happened. The simple yet well-conceived activities engage children in more than just observations-the questions and explanations are constructed to help young kids draw conclusions from their observations. Remarkably, all this is accomplished in a child-friendly, straightforward text. The illustrations are bright and energetic, and the type, which varies in size, shape, and color, is often cleverly used to illustrate the very principles it explains (e.g., angled text for the description of light reflecting off a mirror, text fitting into a glass to describe how water takes the shape of its container). A note to adults at the beginning of each book provides guidelines for the books' use and a list of the easy-to-find materials needed (a flashlight, a ball, waxed paper, etc.). (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Kids who wonder why their fingertips get wrinkly in the bathtub will find the answer to this question and other scientific stumpers in this simple but not simplistic study of the ways of water. Cobb (I See Myself, below, etc.) is well known for her collections of science experiments and concise explanations of scientific principles. She uses this talent in her new Science Play series, designed for parents to use with young children at home. In this volume she explains the most basic properties of water: how it flows, adheres to itself but not to waxed or oiled surfaces, and how it is absorbed through skin. Easy, quick experiments are interwoven into the text, delivered in a chatty style in the second person. Parents who want to interest their children in basic scientific concepts will find this series useful, as will teachers from preschool level through first grade. Gorton's attractive computer-generated art features a young Asian boy performing the activities described in the text. Her illustrations utilize uncluttered pages, bright colors on white backgrounds, and creative type treatments that flow together into a lively, informative treatment. (author's note) (Nonfiction. 3-6)
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