The Bookcase

How the World Works

by Christiane Dorion and Beverley Young (Candlewick, 2010)
How the World Works by Christiane Dorion and Beverley Young

I think science needs more good pop-up books. Like this one, which is full of interesting information about how the Earth works. In fact they manage to get more in here than in many boring flat books. It shows the earth and planets formed, how life got started, how the tectonic plates move, where weather comes from, how the water cycle works, and even how to figure out that mysterious thing you’re always hearing about, your carbon footprint (which it turns out is not what happens when you step in the fireplace). The pop-ups are very ingenious, like a flip-book showing the continents moving from Pangaea to now, and pull tabs that fold to show the different ways the plates collide. Who knew the Earth could be so interesting?