Editorial Review

Attractive and succinct, these introductions tackle big topics in a friendly way. Each one opens with short, declarative sentences that provide a poetic sensibility. For example, Soil begins, ‘’Dig it. Plant in it…Spongy, sandy, or sticky—it’s all delightful dirt!’ A final spread personalizes the topic with examples from everyday life, and an illustrated extension explains basic science, such as what dirt is made of. Large, eye-catching photos cover the recto of each spread. One small caption flaw in Push and Pull labels a hard drive as a CD/DVD player. Varying jewel-toned accents are used in headings, highlighted glossary terms, and in a sidebar on each spread. The slightly large trim size will make these good choices for group use.