Earth Basics
Series of 4 titles
Earth Basics presents a high-interest STEM introduction to the materials that make up our world. Each book covers one of Earth's four basic materials, including how it forms and changes, where it can be found, and how it is used in everyday life. Bright, full-color photographs and diagrams complement the carefully leveled text to make reading easy and fun. Each title includes reading tips for teachers and caregivers, a table of contents, a picture glossary, and an index to aid comprehension.
| Interest Level | Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Kindergarten |
| Category | Beginning Readers, New!, STEM |
| Subject | Science and Math |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Jump!, Inc. |
| Imprint | Bullfrog Books |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 24 |
| Publication Date | 2023-08-01 |
Reviews
Booklist Review of Earth Basics
The Earth’s Basics series, indeed, offers very basic introductions to important substances on Earth. To be readable for beginning readers, the books use very short sentences set in a large font, present-tense naration, and only a small amount of text on each page.
Although the text is simple, it includes proper science vocabulary for key substances and concepts, and many of these terms are included in the title’s picture glossary. In addition to defining their featured topics, the books cover how humans use these natural resources. Minerals discusses our need to eat food that contains minerals, such as calcium and iron. Rocks ex- plains that these formations are used as a building material. Soil focuses on the importance of this substance for growing food. Water presents the myriad uses of this liquid, whether for drinking, cooking, washing, or swimming.
A bright, appropriate stock photo-some of which are labeled covers almost every page, and simple diagrams are occasion- ally employed, as well. These books are clearly intended as models of educational nonfiction. The front matter includes ""Ideas for Parents and Teachers,"" and despite their brevity, the books feature standard nonfiction elements such as a table of contents and an index. Earth science at its simplest for the very young. —Miriam Aronin
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SLJ Review of Earth Basics
These introductory earth science concepts foster in readers an understanding of the world around them and how they fit in it. Beginning with dialogic assistance and post-reading options, these titles provide a nice option to not only learn about important building blocks of our planet, but also what they mean to readers. The picture glossary is really useful as a visual cue for reviewing the concepts from the core text. While the subjects covered are familiar, like rocks and water, there are enriching conversations about how each exists and adds value to the world in its own way.
VERDICT: The rocks and minerals titles are particularly useful for libraries with geological interests past paleontology.