NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12: 2009
Tuesday, March 3 2009
By Juliana Texley,
Lead Reviewer, NSTA Recommends
Today’s classrooms have no real walls! Students explore the world on field trips, during virtual journeys on the world wide web, and through the books they read. These pathways help them fly to the ends of the universe to satisfy their scientific curiosity.
Again this year, the professionals of the NSTA/CBC Review Panel for Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12 have been pleased to serve as travel guides, identifying the best in trade books for student explorations. Their recommendations encourage young readers to fly Over the Rivers, brave the Antarctic with Emperors of the Ice, come Face to Face With Elephants, or help a family of mountain gorillas Looking for Miza. There are journeys to microworlds as well, inviting students into Dr. Frankenstein’s lab to investigate the human body, to search nests for Eggs, or work with a National Geographic scientist to explore Genetics.
Each of these books is not just accurate, up-to-date, and attractive but also represents a new, creative path to inquiry. They often have text at a variety of levels—suitable for first reading alone or in a group and for revisiting again and again to learn more. Graphics are often so detailed that they not only support the text but provide opportunities for students to hone their observation skills and to make connections and apply concepts. And almost all of these roads to adventure are linked to other paths (print and electronic) so that the curious explorer can go further. The journey begins here—come along.