How Come? Planet Earth [Paperback]

Kathy Wollard (Author), Debra Solomon (Author)

Book Description

Kids never stop asking questions. And Kathy Wollard, whose Los Angeles Times syndicated column "How come?" appears in newspapers around the world, never stops answering them. In five years since the first How Come? was published, Ms. Wollard has written hundreds of columns addressing the whys, whats, wheres, and hows sent in by her readers.

A direct follow-up to the original How Come?, How Come? Planet Earth is packed with lively, engagingly written, and often wittily illustrated answers to questions that kids have about the natural world around them. There are questions about animals - Why are electric eels electrical? (the charges not only help them find their way around in the dark, but act as a defense system). About human body - Where does the fat go when you lose weight? (it's burned up inside the muscles for energy). About Earth science - Why are storm clouds gray? (they contain a lot of water, which absorbs more sunlight than an ordinary cloud does, so storm clouds appear ominously dark). And just about everyday stuff - How do they make chewing gum? Why are diamonds the hardest material on Earth? Why do dogs bark?

For all kids who want to know (and all kids want to know), and for the parents who can't always explain it to them (no parents know every answer), How Come? Planet Earth is the perfect reference and companion.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Why do people get goose bumps? Why don't fish and dolphins sleep? Why do ships and planes disappear in the Bermuda Triangle? How does camera film record pictures? What are you wondering about? Chances are, Kathy Wollard can find the answers. All the queries in this book of questions and answers were asked by real kids, who mailed and e-mailed them to Wollard's newspaper column, "How Come?" Organized into four loose categories, entitled "Turbulent Earth" (about deserts, oceans, icebergs, fog, volcanoes... anything to do with Earth), "Safari" (about animals), "Bodyworks" (about people), and "Factory Field Trip" (about things we make, such as bubble gum and diamonds), this original science reference book explains 125 mysteries of Planet Earth. A follow-up to the bestselling How Come?, Wollard's How Come? Planet Earth follows a similar format. Each two- or three-page chapter describes an earthly phenomenon in accurate, entertaining, easy-to-understand terms, with accompanying goofball cartoons by Debra Solomon. Grownups who have found themselves at a loss when children ask "Why are my fingers wrinkly after a bath?" or "How do jet airplanes fly?" will appreciate this collection of solutions as much as the curious young readers themselves. Browse at will, or read it cover to cover--answers are at hand! (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Wollard follows up her popular How Come? (Workman, 1993) with answers to 125 more science questions submitted by children. Taking on topics as varied as volcanoes and chewing gum, warts and dust, she arranges the queries into broad categories ("Bodyworks," "Turbulent Earth," etc.), provides breezy but full answers ("Cholesterol, like fat, won't dissolve in blood-it just blobs up"), and tucks in occasional "Fast Fact" side notes. Solomon's comments that accompany the black-and-white cartoon art further lighten the informational load. Though Wollard covers all traces of her research, and is guilty of an occasional bobble-in the same paragraph she claims that the Earth's daily rotation slows by 1 to 3 milliseconds per century, lengthening a day by 30 seconds to 2 minutes every hundred years-she delivers plenty of specifics in a fresh, entertaining way that will hook both casual browsers and serious young seekers after truth.
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761112391
• ISBN-13: 978-0761112396
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming and fascinating book!, October 10, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Coleman (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Come? Planet Earth (Paperback)

I LOVED this book. It's not just for kids -- though I'm sure they'll enjoy it, as much as I did. The author's choice of subject matter is excellent, and she explores each subject at just the right depth. Her breezy and humorous writing style is a joy to read.

And it's educational, too! Although I have an advanced science degree, and have been a lifelong reader in various sciences, I found myself learning something new in each essay.

I strongly recommend "How Come? Planet Earth" to curious minds of any age.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a GREAT book!, June 14, 2000

By 

Barry (West Palm Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Come? Planet Earth (Paperback)

...I bought How Come? Planet Earth for my Kids and I read an article every morning with my cereal. I love the kooky cartoons and the articles make me look like a genius to my kids! It will always come in handy to know that flys taste with their feet and humming birds have the most powerful muscles in the animal kingdom...MY ENTIRE FAMILY LOVES THIS BOOK!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Resource for Kids and More, March 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: How Come? Planet Earth (Paperback)

This book is awesome. It is full of very interesting information about why things around us are the way they are. It has a section on the human body, one on animals, one on the earth itself, among others.
It is written with humor and wit. I learn (and laugh) a lot as I read to my child. It is so useful for him, too, satisfying his ingenious curiosity that is so precious of children. This is the BEST children's book I have come across so far and very highly recommend it.