Hands-On Science: Matter - by Lola M Schaefer

About the Book

"In this interactive picture book, young readers squish, squeeze, and jiggle matter on the page, using their imagination to conduct simple lab experiments. They learn that matter comes in all shapes and sizes and can change from solid to liquid to gas. Back matter includes a real-world experiment for investigating matter"--

Book Synopsis

Press Here meets Bill Nye the Science Guy in this interactive STEM picture book about solids, liquids, and gases, bringing science experiments to life.

Welcome to the chemistry lab! Through imagination, exploration and play, readers see that matter comes in all shapes and sizes and can change from solid to liquid to gas. Each page of this engaging book instructs the reader to smash clay to change its shape, tilt the book to pour liquid, or blow to make bubbles, bringing the science experiments to life. After predicting what will happen next, eager readers turn the page to see the results.

Educator and author Lola M. Schaefer draws on her years in the classroom to make science fun and accessible through engaging and playful text. Back matter includes a simple experiment for investigating matter in the real world.

Review Quotes

An imaginary lab and a real experiment introduce matter.

An experienced writer of science books for young readers invites her audience to explore matter in a chemistry lab. She focuses on two concepts: mass and three of the states of matter--solid, liquid, and gas. These are intriguingly presented in a manner reminiscent of Hervé Tullet's Press Here (2011). Readers are invited to tilt, jiggle, and tap on the book to see how matter can change shape or form without changing mass. Using first a blob of clay and then a bunch of cherries for her imagined experiments, Schaefer concludes with directions for a real demonstration of making gas with baking soda (a solid) and lemon juice (a liquid) to create bubbles of carbon dioxide (a gas). (She reminds readers to do their experiments with a grown-up.) She draws connections between these concepts and readers themselves as she points out that we all have solids, liquids, and gases in our bodies. The science is solid and the teaching appropriate for the age. Clean illustrations set on plentiful white space aid understanding. Rereaders will notice that all the materials and equipment depicted throughout, even the white coats, can be found on the first spread. Human characters are racially diverse.

A simple and clear interactive scientific exploration.
--Kirkus Reviews

There's nothing quite like an interactive book, especially when science experiments are involved. Tipping and twisting with real hands-on experiments makes this picture book perfect for any wiggly child who loves making predictions.
--Brightly

About the Author

Lola M. Schaefer was a classroom teacher in grades K-7 for eighteen years. She began writing books for children because she saw how important a good book was to each of her students. Lola is now a writing consultant and the author of more than 275 children's books, including picture books and easy readers. She and her husband live in the mountains of north Georgia.

Druscilla Santiago is an O'ahu-based illustrator with a background in art direction and graphic design. When not at the drawing board, she can be found with her family enjoying a good laugh and a sweet treat. This is her debut book. www.adventurefun.club