Customer Reviews

Q Is for Quark: A Science Alphabet Book

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An excellent peak at science for both children and adults. Although rather simplistic, it does a good job explaining basic science concepts. I specially liked the parts on T for Think, where the author explains how scientists use the Scientific Method as a tool for testing observations, making inferences and weed out erroneous beliefs; and O for Occam's Razor, again as of useful tool for reasoning. I sure hope there is a sequel.

Only one observation: The publishers should have chosen a more portable book format (paperback) so you can take it anywhere and either enjoy it by yourself or share it with someone else.

AC.CHB

If I could travel back in time 30 years and have a library of David Schwartz books, I'd be one happy kid! My kids love his work, and so do I!

A former biologist, elementary school teacher, and journalist, Schwartz knows how to present complicated information in a straighforward and accessible manner. He and artist Kim Doner have put together a wonderful companion to their earlier book, G is for Googol. Q is for Quark is engaging and fun for strong independent readers of all ages. Each letter of the alphabet introduces a different scientific term. E is for element, O is for Occam's Razor, and Q is for Quark, of course! I highly recommend this book for any science minded kid.

We got G is for Google a while ago and I bought Q is for Quark for my son's 11th birthday. He's not a big reader, but he likes to read this series. The entries are quite complex, they really explain sophisticated science, and the entries, although usually only a page long, are also quite dense - this is not a dumbed down version.

It's genuinely interesting and we read it in bite size (or letter size) portions, and learn something new. This is a book you definitely read more than once, and each time, you remember a little more. I really enjoy it and would recommend it for anyone over 10 (parents learn a lot from this book too!)

This is a commendable effort to introduce children to general science (not just physics, as the title might imply), but there are minor flaws.

In SI units, the degree sign should not be used with celsius. In Light, a prism is described as a 3-sided piece of glass (5 sides or more). If you go up 8 white keys from C you come to D, not C. An object is said to be red because it reflects only red light (pigment makers wish that were true, but it isn't). The air column in a woodwind vibrates only under closed holes. (What happens in cross fingering? Don't the vibrations extend into the room?) And I wish text weren't printed over dark illustrations!

I happened upon this book in a bookstore in my town one day, and just adore it. I am an engineer, and I buy this book for every friend/family member that is expecting a child. It's whimsical and fun and educational--we all can learn something we don't know!