Potato Radio, Dizzy Dice, and More Wacky, Weird Experiments from the Mad Scientist — Joey Green
Published by Lyons, 2004

More than 40 experiments and activities detailed in this book range from the excitement of shooting off a matchbook rocket to the relatively tame experience of growing a garden in Jell-O. Green hopes that each of these experiments is silly enough, gross enough, or thrilling enough to encourage a child's interest in science. For each activity, he details the science at work and something of the history of the concepts behind what the experimenter will witness. Readers will learn how to create a water blaster from a plastic tube, make an electric generator from wood and wire, and manufacture glowing ink from laundry detergent. All the experiments use common household items. Some adult supervision is required.

Curious Minds: How a Child Becomes a Scientist — John Brockman, ed.
Published by Pantheon, 2004

To motivate readers to study science, Brockman set out to find the common threads and defining moments in the childhoods of some of today's greatest scientific minds. He asked these people to reveal the turning points, influences, epiphanies, peers, and mentors in their lives and careers. The responses he got make for revealing accounts and entertaining reading. People such as Lee Smolin, Steven Pinker, Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, and others report that they became intrigued and inspired by factors as disparate as reading Descartes, studying Hebrew, and watching Gilligan's Island on television. As these scientific luminaries point out, there's no single recipe for cooking up a passion for science. Richard Dawkins writes about the influence of reading Dr. Doolittle stories, while Janna Levin cites Carl Sagan as her inspiration for learning more about the universe. However, a pattern emerges in this series of 27 essays. Each individual had a strong curiosity and passion for learning about many things as a child.

Prize-Winning Science Fair Projects for Curious Kids — Joe Rhatigan and Rain Newcomb
Published by Lark, 2004

Kids should find these 50 experiments to be interesting avenues to exploring the scientific method. Arranged by discipline, the projects, for example, compare the amount of bacteria in dog saliva versus that in human saliva and the effect of gravity on root and stem growth in plants. Other experiments guide kids toward figuring out which sunscreen works best and which breakfast cereal has the most iron. As young researchers gather their data, they are also instructed on how to calculate results, make charts, take pictures, write reports, and present their findings. The outlined activities require only common household items. Ideas for further examination are provided. Recommended for age 9 and up.

E.Encyclopedia Science — Fran Baines, Paula Borton, et al., editors
Published by Dorling Kindersley, 2004

Published in association with the Web-search company Google, this book details core ideas of science ranging from physics to biology. Each entry is enhanced by a link to an Internet site that can provide readers with more information about a particular subject. As with most books published by Dorling Kindersley, there is a heavy emphasis on visual elements that convey information. The images are accompanied by instructive yet brief captions and text that give concise overviews of the topics at hand. For example, a page on comets includes a picture and brief biography of Edmond Halley, a picture of Comet Hale-Bopp, a drawing of comet orbits, and a description of what a comet is. Entering the key word comet into the free, Google-designated search engine for the book takes readers to a video of Halley's comet, a visual guide to understanding the effect of gravity on a comet, and further details about what a comet is and how it forms. Recommended for age 8 and up.

Science Verse — Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
Published by Viking, 2004

From the authors of Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales and, more recently, Math Curse, comes this collection of witty scientific poems. It all begins with a boy sitting in science class and finding that he's hearing his lesson entirely in verse. He thinks about the scientific method in the cadence of "Casey at the Bat," and Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" is transformed into a verse about dinosaurs. The subject matter is diverse, from a short tribute to Charles Darwin and evolutionary theory to a slightly longer look at the Big Bang that begins "'Twas the night before Christmas. . . ." The scientific concepts touched on are generally quite simple, but the verses always bring a smile. One example: "Eenie, meenie, mynie, mo./Catch a virus, watch it grow./Once it's got you, it won't go./Eenie, meenie, my—oh no!" The book is beautifully illustrated and includes a compact disc of the poems. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Are We Alone? — Gloria Skurzynski
Published by National Geographic, 2004

Jill Tarter collects radio signals from outer space and analyzes them for signs that they might have come from intelligent beings far, far away. Geoffrey Marcy detects planets orbiting other stars, hoping to discover some that might harbor life. Max Bernstein and Jason Dworkin have made a model of frigid outer space in their lab, theorizing that life could have originated far beyond Earth. The author interviewed these scientists and many more to present a fascinating, up-to-the-minute account of the search for life beyond Earth.

Beasts of Eden: Walking Whales, Dawn Horses, and Other Enignmas of Mammal Evolution — David Rains Wallace
Published by University of California Press, 2004

Mammals evolved at about the same time as dinosaurs did, but dinosaurs get all the attention, claims Wallace. Mammals have their own "Cinderella story" that is in some ways better than the dinosaurs' tale. For about 150 million years, beginning in the Triassic, mammals were small and largely inconspicuous. It was after the decline of the great Mesozoic dinosaurs that mammals had their coming-out party. Mammals of great size developed, giving rise to ungulates, such as horses and deer, and strange, now-extinct creatures, such as mesonychids and uintatheres. However, the reason for this growth spurt remains contentious in the paleontological community. Wallace brings together the best theories here to tell the story of mammalian discovery and evolution. Vivid reports of fossil finds bring some long-gone creatures back to life and aid the author in explaining how the evolutionary process has shaped the mammalian class.

The Universal Book of Mathematics: From Abracadabra to Zeno's Paradox — David Darling
Published by Wiley, 2004

With extended entries that go beyond simple definitions, this unusual book explains concepts, profiles mathematicians, documents unsolved theorems, and describes the tools of the math trade. By making understandable topics ranging from common fractions to a Julia set, Darling ushers readers into the world of recreational mathematics. Along the way, he brings to light many interesting, offbeat facts. Readers learn what monsters, moonshine, and 24-dimensional oranges have in common, how one infinity can be larger than another, and why you can't drink from a Klein bottle. A number of entries include history. Multiple cross-references and illustrations clarify fine points of some of the 1,800 entries. At the back of the book are answers to the puzzles presented throughout.