Nibbling on Einstein's Brain
The Good, the Bad and the Bogus in Science
by Diane Swanson
illustrated by Francis Blake
Science affects every part of our lives. It can determine the foods we eat, the clothes we wear -- even the video games we play. But how do you tell the good science from the bad?
Bite into Nibbling on Einstein's Brain and learn some winning strategies for sorting the good from the misleading in science. Through playful scenarios and fascinating real-world examples, each chapter encourages critical thinking. You'll find tips for spotting bad science, ideas for identifying reports that misrepresent facts and ways to keep your own brain from muddling the science news you receive.
Bursting with "Baloney Buster" information, quick "Your Turn" activities and playful new illustrations, this brightly redesigned edition offers a fun approach to becoming a sharp-minded watchdog of reliable science.
close this panelDiane Swanson is the award-winning author of more than 70 factual books for children, including Turn It Loose: The Scientist in Absolutely Everybody. She lives in Victoria, BC.
Francis Blake is an illustrator whose work has appeared in magazines, books and advertising campaigns in North America, Europe and the Far East. He lives in London, England.
close this panelThis fascinating and kid-friendly book gives budding scientists and others an introduction to the tools and strategies needed to evaluate and understand scientific information.
This new edition is more-ish in every way: it's longer, brighter and better realized, intended to provide children with a gentle foundation for scientific learning.... Nibbling on Einstein's Brain is really quite good. Where non-fiction books aimed at this age group can be overly simplistic and facile, Swanson is expert at sharing information in a fashion that is both lucid and interesting.... A whimsically illustrated treasure trove of learning for young minds.
(praise for the first edition) A lighthearted but reliable explanation of the scientific method of research ... written for children 8 to 12, but even high school students or college students assigned a science project would find this simple explanation of the scientific method useful.
(praise for the first edition) National Science Teachers Association-Recommended Product. An engaging combination of accuracy and humor ... After reading this book students should have a clear understanding of the differences between sound and unsound scientific inquiry.
(starred review) Swanson's goal is to assist readers in distinguishing good science from bad science, "and the bad reporting of good science," by helping them to know and develop the necessary skills. Foundational to these skills are attitudes of skepticism and open-mindedness and an enduring desire to know and understand science and scientific research. It is the cleverness with which Swanson brings this all together for adolescent and pre-teen readers that makes the book unique, engaging, and utterly informative... This is a book that should be required reading for all teachers, whether generalists or science specialists, who are responsible for teaching Grades 4 through 10 science. I suspect it will be on the list of required texts in many teacher education programs with science specific curriculum and instruction courses. Highly Recommended.
(praise for the first edition) Editor's Choice: A great resource for K-12 teachers and students about how to perform, analyze and assess research, but also on how to look critically at data generated by the various types of media ... Anyone who is trying to get their students to question facts should get their hands on this book. The chapter summaries are an invaluable resource in themselves.
Nibbling on Einstein's Brain is a newly revised edition of a book that was initially published in 2001. This new edition is more-ish in every way: it's longer, brighter and better realized, intended to provide children with a gentle foundation for scientific learning. In a way, the book is based on the idea that a little science can take you quite a distance, especially when it comes to dispelling the myths that bad science spread around. Nibbling on Einstein's Brain is really quite good. Where non-fiction books aimed at this age group can be overly simplistic and facile, Swanson is expert at sharing information in a fashion that is both lucid and interesting. And, truth be told, she should be good at it: she's over 70 books into a career of doing just that! Subtitled The Good, The Bad and the Bogus in Science, Nibbling on Einstein's Brain is the perfect primer to the way science works in our lives and the various roles it can play. In some ways, the book does even more than that: touching at times on ideas that are quite philosophical in nature, at others sharing skills crucial to critical thinking. Nibbling on Einstein's Brain is a whimsically illustrated treasure trove of learning for young minds.
(praise for the first edition) An extremely useful introduction to a subject that is rarely broached effectively.
(praise for the first edition) This humorous and useful book attempts to help students learn to analyze the "science" that's reported in the news.
(praise for the first edition) A good introduction to bad science ... a highly readable text and jaunty line illustrations, the book encourages critical thinking and skepticism when evaluating science reporting and media hype. (praise for the first edition) A good introduction to bad science ... a highly readable text and jaunty line illustrations, the book encourages critical thinking and skepticism when evaluating science reporting and media hype.
(praise for the first edition) Challenges the reader to be a critical thinker ... funny illustrations make this brain-booster book worth nibbling on.
