Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because it is a great nonfiction, educational book.
Simple Machines: Wheels, Levers, and Pulleys
By David A. Adler
Illustrations by Anna Raff
32 pages – ages 4+
Published by Holiday House on January 30, 2015
Theme/Topic- Simple Machines
Genre- Nonfiction
Opening and Synopsis- Opening – “Machines make work easier.”
Synopsis – From the inside cover- “We use simple machines every day without realizing it. Teeth are wedges and so are knives, forks, and thumbtacks. Many toys are simple machines. Slides are inclined planes, and seesaws are levers. This introduction to levers, wheels, pulleys, inclined planes, and more explains how simple machines simplify our lives.”
Why I liked this book- This is a rather cool nonfiction book. It shows you everyday examples of the simple machines, and how they work. For example, did you know that our teeth are wedges, and that a mountain road can be an inclined plane? There are also really nice illustrations that show what is going on clearly. The book clearly explains simple machines in a kid-friendly way. This book is a great read-aloud for young kids. I really love this book, and would recommend it for a class project.
Activities and Resources-
Go on a simple machine scavenger hunt! Try to find each of the six types of simple machines around your house.
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) has a great webpage devoted to simple machines. Click HERE to go THERE.
There’s a great Simple Machines Unit / Activities at Parents.com HERE.
To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE!
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Categories: Age 1-5, Age 6-9, Perfect Picture Book Friday
I want to write nonfiction, donut loving pal of mine. I love anything sciency and/or buildey. (I believe I coined some new words there.) 😉 I’ll hop over and get this for our (you guessed it) sciency and buildey library. Thanks for the stellar recommendation. You are the BEST! Have a donut. 🙂
Yay! Donut! 😉 I like your new words. 🙂
Sometimes, when we think of machines, we think of them as complex and complicated, but the simplest machines and tools are a part of everything we do in everyday life. This sounds like a great book to give young readers an appreciative introduction to the world of tools and machines.
You are exactly right! 😀
nice to see a kid friendly non fiction book for all those curious minds! 🙂
Yes! And it is really well-presented too! 😀
I’ve always been fascinated with how things work! Whether it’s books for kids (had some great Disney ones on How Things Work for my son and I think I enjoyed them more! lol), or adults, I’m all for it. LOVE the show “How It’s Made” too!
So have I. It’s really cool (and so is “How It’s Made”! 😀 )! 😀
My 3 year old son would love this book. He is so interested in the way things work right now.
It would be perfect for him! 😀
What a great book for boys and girls who want to know how things work. My son would have really enjoyed this! Now I can add it to the growing list of books for my great grandson. Nice review.
Thanks Mrs. Tilton! I think your great-grandson would really like this! 😀
Simple machines are such a fun subject. When I taught technology, one of the kids favorite add-on activities was a website on simple machines. I loved playing on it as well. Here’s the link in case you want to add it to your resources.
http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/
Thanks for the great review, Erik.
Thanks for the link! It sounds fun! 😀
Okay, this looks like a picture book my family will LOVE. Any book even remotely about machines is a picture book that is a hit in my home. Thank you so much for recommending this one. I look forward to reading it.
It is a wonderful book! 😀
I’m a huge, huge fan of science books that entertain. Yay! Pop quiz, what simple machine is at work in a bath tub?
A wheel & axle to turn the nozzle. 🙂 This is a great book! 😀
Great answer, but I’m talking about the bathtub, itself. What do you say now?
Well, you wedge your body into it… 😉
That would be President Taft Got Stuck in the Bath. 😀 Close! The simple machine is the incline plane. Without it, the bathtub would not drain. 😀 See if your friends can answer that question. Cheers!
Ah… DANG! 😉 Thanks! 😀
This is perfect for 5th grade when kids study simple machines!!
Yes it is! 😀
I still get excited when I solve a problem with a pulley or lever.
As in “If you don’t get off that, I’ll pulley you down and put you on time-out forlever and lever.” or just the simple machines? 😉
Great choice! This book made Cathy remember how her oldest used to take just about EVERYTHING apart when he was young, to find out how it worked. Unfortunately, he rarely put things back together. :p
Ha! I feel sorry for Ms. Murphy! 🙂 I like taking things apart to see how they work too. 🙂
Love this! Fun fact for the day – I used to do a simple machine balloon show. Simple machines are so much fun. Looks like a great book. ~Cool Mom
A simple machine BALLOON SHOW?! Can you do it the next time we see you? 😉 This is an amazing PB! 😀
Let me see if your comments will let me add this link. I no longer work in that business – lovely beginning of a latex allergy destroyed that career option. 🙂 Recognize my mouse? http://jamonsound.blogspot.com/2011/05/spotlight-balloon-twisting-miss.html
Thanks! 🙂 I love the look that Fe, err… THE MOUSE has on her face. She thinks that SHE’S on top! 😉
This sounds like a book that might explain machines in a way that I can understand! Plus kids would love it too! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing, Erik!
Well, simple machines, and gears. But it’s still awesome! 😀