Brains On! Presents...Road Trip Earth

January 1, 2022
The three hosts of the award-winning science podcast Brains On! invite young readers to tag along as they journey to the center of the Earth. In their state-of-the-art minivan (reminiscent of Joanna Cole's Magic School Bus), the authors travel across land and water and into the air to investigate "remote realms." For each trip, they pack helpful tools and snacks appropriate to their destination. Chapter by chapter, they explore the Earth's layers and tectonic plates; deep-sea wonders and "the wide world of water"; sand, soil, and land formations; and, finally, the atmosphere, weather, and outer space. The chatty, informally written text invites readers to enjoy their discoveries. Children may groan at the cheesy jokes, but their attention will be held by the lively visual presentation that includes panels, mystery photos, graphic sidebars, and more. Recurring "Break It Down" text boxes unpack some scientific terms. Food metaphors and wordplay abound, aiding retention of facts and concepts. The often amusing cartoony illustrations, rendered digitally, feature caricatures of the three apparently White podcast hosts. Other characters with varying skin tones occasionally appear. As a broad overview of earth science, this works, though more knowledgeable readers may find it more of a smorgasbord than a four-course meal. The backmatter includes a list of relevant podcast episodes, a selected bibliography, and an index. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Facts and fancy combine for a planetary road trip to remember. (Nonfiction. 9-14)

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April 29, 2022

Gr 3-6-Readers hungry for an in-depth exploration of earth science will find much to enjoy about this book, written by the hosts of the popular BrainsOn! science podcasts for kids. Reminiscent of the hugely successful "Magic School Bus" series, the three adult characters/podcast hosts travel to their destinations in a specially equipped minivan that can travel below the earth's surface and into the atmosphere. Divided into four parts that cover the earth's core, ocean life, land, and the atmosphere, each section includes solid information presented via text, cartoonlike illustrations, dialogue bubbles, lists, sidebars, comic panels, photographs, and more. Fun features such as "Mystery Photos." "Pit Stops," and "Road Trip Souvenirs" describe unusual places or things, plus there are comparisons of natural phenomena, mini-biographies of different types of earth scientists, and many silly jokes and puns to keep the information lively and fun. Main characters are white; back-up characters are depicted with darker skin. Back matter includes a list of relevant BrainsOn! podcasts, an extensive bibliography, and an index. VERDICT A recommended purchase for your earth science collection.-Sue Morgan

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