Experiments with Air and Water

Gr 4–7—Well intentioned but flawed, this compilation of different science experiments is overwhelmed by its design. The experiments include both the standard and the less common and should appeal to an audience with a wide range of abilities. However, the volumes attempt to engage and provide as much information as possible but instead drown in clutter. The notebooklike design, which features sidebars that appear to be taped to the page, is overflowing with photos, instructions, supplies, and other bits of information that seem randomly placed on each page; even the order of the step-by-step directions is questionable at times due to the layout. Small, lightly colored type font makes the text difficult to read in places. Useful sections like "Scientist Kit" and "Quiz Zone" are not enough to save what could have been a valuable resource.