Kaboom!: Explosions of all Kinds

Description

Who knew that some insects can create explosions to get food? Or that fireworks were once used to fight wars? Explosions are all around us, from the Big Bang that created the universe to the "pop" of a seedpod, from solar flares to the explosive gases lurking in a coal mine. Full of fun facts, dramatic images and highlights of momentous blasts in history-including the infamous Halifax explosion of 1917-Kaboom! examines an astonishing variety of explosions and the science behind them. Many remarkable blasts are a result of human ingenuity, from carving the faces of four American presidents into a wall of granite on Mount Rushmore, to the development of asthma inhalers based on a beetle's explosive pulses to scare predators. The many exciting guises of explosions are revealed ways both engrossing and surprising.

Gillian Richardson has written over a dozen children's books. She also teaches writing and reviews books. She lives in Sorrento, British Columbia.

(starred review) KABOOM! looks at the scientific principles behind a variety of explosions and presents them in an engaging way ... Richardson's writing style will appeal to readers ... She explains scientific concepts in a fairly simple fashion ... A lively, attractive layout and plenty of colour photos, black and white archival photos, diagrams, drawings and paintings enhance the text. A particularly excellent photo of workers shaping the face of George Washington on Mount Rushmore serves to demonstrate scale and proportion. Also included are a table of contents, an index and a list of books and web sites for further study. Educational and appealing. Highly Recommended.--Gail Hamilton"Canadian Materials" (11/13/2009) With comic-style sound-effect headings and fact boxes galore.... Kaboom! is an engrossing attention-getter, effectively tapping the sensationalism of all types of blasts.--S. McClendon, Friends School of Atlanta, Decatur,"School Library Journal" (12/01/2009) (starred review) Richardson's writing style will appeal to readers...She explains scientific concepts in a fairly simple fashion... Highly Recommended.--Gail Hamilton"Canadian Materials" (11/13/2009)