Amazon.com: Color (Science Experiments) (9780761410928): John Farndon: Books

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-These books move beyond basic introductory texts and provide questions as well as answers to some of the complex aspects of each of these topics. An explanation of a concept is followed by at least one simple experiment or demonstration (usually no more than four or five steps). Needed supplies (inexpensive household objects) are noted in a boxed sidebar with a description of what principles are at work. Photographs illustrate each step. In the first book, Farndon defines color; points out that ours is a three-color world; and discusses mixing, changing, contrasting, and shimmering colors. Activities include how to make a spectrum, how to mix colored light, and how to create a color wheel. In the next book, the author turns his attention to electricity, discussing charges, circuits, conductors, and insulators. Activities include creating a Xerox effect and making an electroscope. The last book looks at the role of the Sun, winds and how they blow, tornadoes and hurricanes, clouds and humidity, and rain and storms. How-to experiments include making a sundial, a mobile, a vortex, and a wet and dry hygrometer. Good resources for reports and for those who want to know how and why things work.
Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reviewed with John Farndon's Weather.

Gr. 3-6. Each book in the Science Experiments series presents basic information and simple experiments. Color discusses the spectrum and colored light as well as the primary colors of pigment, mixing colors, and color blindness. Activities include creating a spectrum using a bottle of water and a piece of black cardboard, and making a color wheel. In Weather, readers will learn about sunlight, winds, clouds, and storms as well as making a weather vane and a rain gauge. The scientific information is rather scanty compared with similar books at this grade level, but the clearly illustrated, step-by-step directions for the science activities will make this a useful addition to many libraries. Check the Series Roundup for volumes on electricity, light, sound, and water. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's John Farndon Page

LONDON-BASED AUTHOR JOHN FARNDON studied earth sciences and English literature at Cambridge University but has since written on just about every topic imaginable. He has written over 300 books, which have sold millions of copies around the world in most major languages and include many best-sellers, such as the award-winning 'Do Not Open', which became a cult-hit in the USA as well as featuring on the New York Times and Washington Post best-seller lists. In earlier years, he wrote mostly for children, and has been shortlisted a record four times for the junior Science Book prize. But recently he has been writing for adults too.
Many of his books have on popular science, and in particular earth science and nature, and environmental issues, including'How the Earth Works', 'The Wildlife Atlas', 'The Dictionary of the Earth'. He was a major contributor to the Smithsonian's 'Earth' and 'Science' encyclopedias His 'Practical Encyclopedia of Rocks and Minerals' (not as dry as it sounds!) has recently been one of the top 15 selling books for Scientific American. The 'Atlas of Oceans, his big book on endangered life in the oceans, for Yale in the USA (A&C Black in the UK and Australian Geographic in Australia) garnered glowing reports prepublication from major figures in the USA such as the Cousteaus, Carl Safina, and Harm de Blij.
But he has covered a wide range of topics, including many books on contemporary issues such as 'Everything you should know about Iran', 'China Rises') and '101 Facts You Should Know about Food'. He also writes on the history of science and idea. In 2010, his book for Icon 'Do You Think You're Clever?' was a best-seller and was shortlisted for the Society of Authors Education Award. 'The World's Greatest Idea' was selected as one of the top 50 books of the year in South Africa.
He has a growing following on his internet sites, including podcasts and blogs, and is also a playwright and songwriter, whose work has been performed at such theatres as the Donmar and Almeida in London and the Salisbury Playhouse. Songs of his have been selected many times for the Sondheim Singing prize and other showcases.

http://www.johnfarndon.com/