The Young Oxford Encyclopedia of Science edited by Robin Kerrod and Andrew
Solway, Oxford, £30, ISBN 0199107114
Vacuum Bazookas, Electric Rainbow Jelly, and 27 other Saturday Science Projects
by Neil Downie, Princeton, £13.95, ISBN 0691009864
WE HAVE all experienced good and bad teaching and know that it’s hard to be
interesting and accurate when you’re explaining science. Today’s trend towards
interactive science is mostly driven by computers. As the huge success of the
computer game shows, technology can lure children—but where does that
leave the good old-fashioned science book?
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The Young Oxford Encyclopedia of Science is aimed at children in
their third to tenth year of school. It resolves the technology issue by
combining a traditional illustrated encyclopedia with its own website
(www.oup.co.uk/oxed/children/yoes)
that gives access to a mass of resources including
animations, experiments, activities and illustrations. The book itself is an
alphabetical sequence from acids to X-rays of mostly on double-page spreads,
highly illustrated with diagrams, artwork and photos. It’s clear and easy to
use, but the text is tailored to fit the available space—about 600 words
whether it’s talking about evolution, Mars or the Solar System. That’s the price
of a design-led book.
Another traditional but interesting approach is a “cookbook” of science
experiments. Many of those in Neil Downie’s Vacuum Bazookas, can be
tried at home by children of 11 and up with adult help and supervision. The
title hints that while this is basically a Heath Robinson approach—with
wheels and wires, glue and guesswork—Downie throws in a distinct dash of
California for good measure.
There’s not a computer in sight—but there are hovering rings, a
“dynabrolly”, a string nutcracker, siphons, “vibrocraft” and, yes, vacuum
bazookas and electric rainbow jelly. The Ultimate Bunsen Burner that burns
through steel plate is not for the novice.
This is great interactive stuff, amusingly written by a British scientist who
honed his skills conducting a Saturday activity centre for kids in Guildford,
Surrey. As well as the fun there is science too, equations and all. It’s an
excellent Christmas book for any wannabe scientist. Perhaps there is life beyond
the computer after all.
