Brilliant! : shining a light on sustainable energy

Brilliant! Shining a light on sustainable energy

Michelle Mulder, 1976-

Book - 2013

Did you know that cars can run on french fry grease or that human poop can be used to provide power to classrooms? Kids in Mexico help light up their houses by playing soccer, and in the Philippines, pop bottle skylights are improving the quality of life for thousands of families. Brilliant! is about what happens when you harness the power of imagination and innovation: the world changes for the better! Full of examples of unusual (and often peculiar) power sources, Brilliant! encourages kids to look around for new and sustainable ways to light up the world.

Saved in:
Place a Hold Save to List Email this

Children's Room Show me where

j333.79/Mulder
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room j333.79/Mulder Checked In
Subjects
Renewable energy sources > Juvenile literature.
Power resources > Juvenile literature.
Power resources > Environmental aspects > Juvenile literature.
Energy development > Environmental aspects > Juvenile literature.
Published
Victoria, BC, Canada ; Custer, WA, USA : Orca Book Publishers 2013.
Language
English
Main Author
Michelle Mulder, 1976- (-)
Physical Description
48 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 25 cm
Issued also in electronic format
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (page 44) and index.
ISBN
9781459802216
  • From sparks to zap : the story of energy. Let's hear it for the sun! ; Fire (Hurray!) ; Put some muscle into it ; Huff and puff ; Water works ; Full steam ahead! ; Getting a move on ; Electrifying ; Fueling up
  • What makes it go? How on earth-- ? ; How to make a fossil fuel ; Hot stuff! ; Cool solutions
  • Flying on a french fry! Grow, grow, grow your fuel ; Pond scum in your tank ; Fast fast food ; The little fungus that could ; The scoop on poop ; Muscle power and elbow grease
  • Flicking the switch. Have a powerful day ; Plop! Sizzle! ; Bright ideas ; Bananas on ice ; Hang on to your hat ; Wave and smile ; The power of play ; Meanwhile, in the living room ; Zooming ahead.
Review by Booklist Review

To look at a hard black lump of coal and see the potential luminosity that it is able to provide requires a stretch of imagination. That type of vision is just what Mulder is asking young readers to engage when considering the possibilities of the raw materials that surround them. Mulder begins with a very basic explanation of how energy is created and transmitted, beginning with the moment a light switch is flicked. Our current dependence on fossil fuels is discussed, and the disadvantages of their use are laid out as the impetus for exploring alternative sources of energy. Environmental problems are treated as exciting opportunities for ingenuity, rather than a scary future menace. Geothermal heat, wind, hydroelectric power, and the sun are all discussed as potential alternate sources of energy, but biofuel is given the most attention. More cutting-edge approaches, such as burning human waste or creating energy through play, encourage kids to look for solutions in unexpected places.--Anderson, Erin Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review

Divided into four chapters, this book covers topics such as the drawbacks of fossil fuels; renewable energy sources (e.g., wind and solar); and newer ideas for fuel, including algae, fungus, and human waste. Plenty of well-captioned photos, from a Dutch windmill to a dog-poop "digester" that powers lights at an urban park, illustrate the accessible text. Reading list, websites. Ind. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Mulder offers an upbeat exploration of the often-curious world of alternative energy. Mulder has been around the world, and in so doing, she has been exposed to a wide variety of things that produce energy. Sure, there is the internal combustion engine, but there are also feet and bicycles and draft animals. There is coal, but there is also a whole family of vegetable oils, as well as poop, both animal and human. There is natural gas, but there is also pond scum. She generates her own energetic enthusiasm as she explains that most energy, at one point or another, comes from the sun. She comfortably introduces the role of carbon and photosynthesis, then the creation of fossil fuels. She delineates the drawbacks of fossil fuels, from carbon dioxide byproducts to sustainability, but she is also sensitive to the human urge to make life a tad easier: In terms of sheer effort, the horseless buggy looked pretty good compared to the horse, coal to splitting wood. By the time she gets to wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and wave energy, they seem positively industrial compared to the small-scale, local productions on display--and utterly feasible. The book is peppered with exotic photographs, as well as quick-shooting boxed items, to catch the attention of busy eyes. A smart, welcoming introduction to alternative fuels, one that puts the greater world in readers' hands. (Nonfiction. 8-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Similar Items