The Shocking Truth About ENERGY

WILD Alphabet + The Cybils! + NOVA You Can't Wear These Genes

The Shocking Truth About ENERGY

The Shocking Truth About Energy

By Loreen Leedy

Holiday House, 2010

ISBN #978-0-8234-2220-3

Grades K-3

Nonfiction

"Hi, there! My name is Erg, and I'm pure ENERGY! Everybody loves a powerhouse like me. In fact, people want more and more ENERGY every day. That's because I make everything happen. The funny thing is, I'm everywhere! The hard part is…"

This book is an excellent introduction to energy, the forms it takes, and how we use it. The cartoon like Erg narrates the simple, comprehensive book in an easy to understand text and sidebars and caption bubbles add further information. Following each energy form, including light, muscle, fossil fuels, electricity (and global warming), nuclear, solar, wind, water, geothermal, and plants, a side by side comparison chart shows advantages and disadvantages. The book concludes with a short discussion of ways to save energy and why. Back matter include web links, more detail, saving energy tips, and fossil fuel information.

The publisher says the book is for younger audiences, but I loved it and can see it read by older kids, too. It is succinct and complete, and a wonderful resource. I'd love to see it in every library in this energy-conscious age.

Activity

I won't reinvent the wheel when these teachers have suggested such excellent activities.

Try one of them!

Teacher activity suggestions from Holiday House with great resources.

Coloring page from Leedy's website.

Websites listed on the Holiday House site:

www.proteacher.org/c/409_Energy.html

www.solarenergy.org/students-and-educators

http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/justforkids/cwp/view.asp?q=472538

Here's an excellent companion book by Anastasia Suen that follows electricity from its source to our homes and includes another activity. It would be a great follow-up to this book:

Wired