• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 5 to 8
• Reading age: 9 to 12

An innovative infographic look at what makes our world light up, work, and run.

It's impossible to imagine our lives without energy, but how often do we really think about where it comes from? With Power Up! discovering what you need to know about energy is easy and fun. Each bright, dynamic spread illustrates cool facts about energy use with colorful infographics, including charts, diagrams, and maps.

Here’s where to find out about:

• The pros and cons of the top energy sources, like fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and hydropower;
• The straight goods on hot issues like oil sands, fracking, and greenhouse gases;
• Where energy of the future will come from: the sun? tides? algae? or something new?
• Answers to intriguing questions such as: What's vampire power, and why does it suck?
• What burning waste can do to reduce all that garbage.

Designed to appeal to visual learners, reluctant readers, and anyone who is keen to know more about the world of energy, Power Up! packs an impressive amount of information into a concise, appealing package, and serves as an exciting, accessible introduction to the topic.

Shaker Paleja is an actor and writer who has performed in theaters across North America, and appeared on numerous film & TV shows. He is the author of Native Americans: A Visual Exploration (2014) and Power Up!: A Visual Exploration of Energy (Spring 2015) for Annick Press. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and daughter.

Shaker Paleja's profile page

• Best Bets List, Top Ten, Ontario Library Association
• Commended, Green Book Festival Award, Honorable Mention
• Short-listed, Red Cedar Award finalist, B.C.’s Young Readers’ Choice Awards

“This “visual exploration of energy” is a smartly dressed one, graphics artfully assembled, beckoning, and thoughtful.”

Kirkus Reviews, 06/06/15

“You’ll be hard pressed to find another book as good as Power Up! on this subject for middle readers.”

Smart Books for Smart Kids, 03/19/15

“Readers will enjoy browsing this clean, colorful, fun, and timely offering.”

School Library Journal, 06/15

“Thoughtfully done, informative and thought-provoking, this is a book that will be most useful in middle grade classrooms.”

Sal’s Fiction Addiction, 05/20/15

“The kind of book both teachers and students have been waiting for . . . thoughtful, precise and accessible.”

CM Reviews, 05/08/15