What's So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossil Fuels and What They Do (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) [Paperback]

Anne Rockwell (Author), Paul Meisel (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 2009 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2

Look around to see what uses oil—cars, airplanes, boats, factories, and countless other machines. The world is dependent on oil as its main source of energy. Although oil is plentiful right now, the supply will eventually run out, and even worse, burning oil is very damaging to the environment. What alternatives can help us use less oil and how can we protect the environment? Read and find out!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–3—Rockwell presents the basic facts about how gasoline is produced, how it was first discovered, and its uses. She then discusses how gasoline and other fossil fuels, as they have become more and more widely used, have contributed to polluting the environment. Suggestions are offered on how to cut back our gas consumption, and alternatives such as solar power, wind power, nuclear energy, and alternative fuels are addressed. The author neglects hydroelectricity. Detailed pen-and-ink and watercolor drawings in shades of blue and brown appear throughout, and text balloons help provide humor to various scenarios. Additional facts about gasoline are appended. Nigel Saunders and Steven Chapman's Fossil Fuel (Raintree, 2006) goes into more detail about the processing of petroleum products as well as problems and solutions associated with them.—Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

This timely book from the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science series discusses oil as a fossil fuel, the history of petroleum use, and the environmental problems created by gasoline engines. The closing pages offer fast facts about gasoline and list related Internet sites. In a history section that moves quickly through the centuries, Rockwell presents facts that may intrigue adults as well as children. Using ink drawings with colorful washes, Meisel varies the visual presentation by including some unusual pictures, such as the view of a family car with its outer surfaces peeled away to show its occupants as well as its engine, gas tank, and muffler. Though the reading level is more challenging than one would expect for a primary-grade series, the book is one of the few to present this information in a format accessible to the age group. Paired with Drummond’s picture book Tin Lizzie (2008), this would make a good read-aloud choice for classroom units on air pollution. Grades 1-3. --Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Collins (February 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061575275
• ISBN-13: 978-0061575273
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 10 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #498,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( R ) > Rockwell, Anne
  • #97 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars making a serious topic fun for young readers, July 26, 2009

By 

Lori Calabrese "Children's Books Examiner... (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: What's So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossil Fuels and What They Do (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) (Paperback)

In What's So Bad About Gasoline, young readers find out what uses oil--cars, airplanes, boats, factories, and countless other machines. The world is dependent on oil as its main source of energy. Although oil is plentiful right now, the supply will eventually run out, and even worse, burning oil is very damaging to the environment.

This book in the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science series begins with a picture of cars and trucks jammed packed on a bridge that anyone who has been stuck in traffic will cringe at. Then it begins with everyday people filling up their cars with gasoline and goes on to explore what gasoline is, where it comes from, and why petroleum was known, but not valued until the late nineteenth century. Readers will learn how fuels have become widely used and depended on and have contributed to damaging our environment. The book is laid out in a simple and easy to understand format and the cartoon-like ink drawings make a difficult and serious subject fun for young readers.

But what good would a book like this be if it didn't offer alternatives and suggestions on how to cut back our gas consumption? Rockwell does just that and points out alternatives such as solar power, wind power, nuclear energy, and alternative fuels. The closing pages offer fast facts about gasoline and list related Internet sites. In a history section that moves quickly through the centuries, Rockwell presents facts that may intrigue adults as well as children.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why is gas bad for the planet?, May 17, 2009

By 

Greenbyoo - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: What's So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossil Fuels and What They Do (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) (Paperback)

When one of my kids asked me (almost verbatim) the question in this book's title, I had a hard time giving a satisfactory answer. So I was happy to find such a thorough explanation written in a way that kids will understand. The book covers pretty much every question a curious kid can ask, from the formation of petroleum, to the history of using fossil fuels, to the greenhouse effect, to the many ways we use petroleum products today, to how we get petroleum and coal, and even alternative energy sources. But it doesn't read like a textbook, and it never sounds preachy or biased. The illustrations are great, too.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just OK, May 19, 2010

By 

Independent Thinker (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What's So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossil Fuels and What They Do (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) (Paperback)

Yes, this book makes some valid points about fuel consumption and it is done in a good format it overall misses the mark. It really should change the title into Fuel and Global Warming. I found it went a little too much into global warming and offered only limited solutions. It also basically blames global warming on primarily cars which is a falsehood. It does mention factories as a source as well but not nearly enough. It never says word one about airplanes as being a source of carbon emmisons though they are a significant factor. I would pass this book by in wanting to have your child learn about fossil fuels. Also, my child seemed pretty bored with it so not a winner in my household.