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
Pages: 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.”
Simple Machines: Wheels, Levers, and Pulleys – Our Review
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!
