The Everyday Workings of Machines: How machines work, from toasters and trains to hovercrafts and robots - Includes close-ups, cutaways, and cross sections!

by Steve Martin, Valpuri Kerttula (Illustrations)

How does a train stay on the tracks? What’s going on inside a pogo stick? How do cranes work? And what happens when you flush a toilet?
 
These and many more important questions are answered in this fascinating book. From toasters and telephones to hovercrafts and robots – the inner workings of machines big and small are brought to light using a stunning mix of cross-sections, close-ups and cutaways. 

Genres: Childrens, Nonfiction, Picture Books

48 pages, Hardcover

Published October 20, 2020

Reviews

[Ishaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is informational. From Escalator to trains, from hovercrafts to rovers or robots I suggest to get this book for curious people about the Machines and all and all..
My favorite part was the Barcode scanner and the wind turbine and the liquid thermometer and the X-Ray machine and microscope and cellphone one and…. Wait.. HOW MUCH DID I WROTE?!

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and engaging inside look at a wide variety of machines that any engineering-minded child will love diving in to!

After and introduction to machines and a nice depiction and explanation of simple machines, readers are taken on a tour through a wide variety of machines, organized by theme. For example: Household Machines (toasters and toilets), Measuring Machines (thermometers and scales), Warming it Up (Radiators and Microwave Ovens), and of course cars and planes and bicycles and even Mars rovers are covered!

I love the detail provided on each pages -- it's in-depth and nicely paired with detailed illustrations and info graphics, but not overwhelming.

Lots to explore and will be a book children want to visit again and again!

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book from Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot wait to have this book on my shelves! I can already think of all the students who will want to read this book. It has clear, simple explanations of how different machines work. The text is easy to understand is supported by illustrations. The illustrations are engaging and they have stayed away from things that would make this book immediately dated. This will be a very popular book in my library.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kristen V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book for curious kids! It answers all those questions about how things work with explanations that are both clear and age-appropriate. For all you homeschooling parents this can tie-in perfectly with your science curriculum!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. The review above is my own, without any outside influence.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will be adored by children who want to understand how things work. Their adults will also learn something along the way.

This illustrated title is organized by many different categories. For example, there are Machines that Turn, Machines and Sound, Trains, At School, Machines for Fun, Machines to Keep You Safe and more. There are also suggestions for further reading at the end of the book.

The authors impart a lot of information in this illustrated text. Children will be intrigued to learn about everything from how the toilet works to what makes a thermometer able to take your temperature to what keeps a plane in the air and so much more.

This book is a great resource for inquiring minds!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

[DoodlesandBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

While being a kid every one of us has always been curious to know how the things, the machines do work. And this book fulfils all the needs, it has the answer for each and every question.

The Everyday Workings of Machines by Steve Martin.

As the book title says, the book explains the working of simple machines like the toaster, thermometer and some complex machines like Car and Airplane. Working of all the machines is explained nicely. It has beautiful illustrations to represent the parts of the machine and also to explain its working. The language is simple and easy to understand.

I recommend this book to everyone who wishes to know how machines work.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Ivy Kids for e-ARC of the Book.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto for a free digital copy for my review.

Such a fun book that not only teaches children some simple physics related to machines, but breaks down machines in cross sections in fun and understandable ways. It gives examples of machines children use or have experience with and some they don't. Big machines and small machines, it covers so many! It will satisfy the curiosity of many inquisitive children.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

From small, sometimes unnoticeable, tools, like for example thermometer, to big machines like submarines. Those are human creations that awed us. How they work? Here is a simple explanation for curious minds on how those machines serve people. But as for kids, this book is an interesting read for adults, so they can at least understand how those machines works, and explain to children.

I myself would love to enjoy reading this with my nephews and nieces!

[sinag · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is very informative and I actually learned a lot about the mechanisms of different kinds of machines. I think everyone who loves to know how things work and tinker things, no matter what age group, will enjoy reading this book.

[Elaine Bearden · Rating 5 out of 5]

k-3/4
This looks amazing. Cross-sections that are just slightly less detailed than Stephen Biesty's give enough detail to understand some of the ways things work - escalators, microphones, etc. I would love to spend more time with this book. Would be fun to booktalk individual inventions inside.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of really interesting pictures and diagrams of everyday machines. The descriptions are clear and the illustrations are helpful in clarifying what the machines are. All my kids enjoy it, but I think it is written mostly for older elementary school aged kids.

[Kady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am basically a big dummy and learned so much from this book on how some machines worked. I will be giving this to my kids when they are old enough.

[Jess Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic look inside the machines we see in our day-to-day lives. Fun, clear illustrations, neatly labeled make for an easy and informative reading experience.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Raises more questions than it answers.