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Marveling at Minerals
by Sally M. Walker
Price at time of review: $27.93
40 pp.
Lerner Publications Co.
Minneapolis, MN
2013
ISBN: 9781467700221
Grade Level: 3-5
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Reviewed by Shannon Cde Baca
Lead Teacher/science
This book is one in a series of five on Earth science topics. Students in this age group are generally fascinated with rocks, Marveling at Minerals will help feed that fascination.
The text is easy to read and the photos are colorful and well–captioned. The science content is a bit beyond the 3rd to 5th grade level as guided by national standards. The text mentions atoms and molecules. However, the authors seem to have taken care to make the language accessible and difficult concepts are not covered in depth.
The key ideas of mineral identification are explained with age appropriate language and well–selected photos. Color, streak, hardness, and gloss are all covered as part of how to identify minerals. From there the authors address how minerals become rocks. This is where most books for this group become too technical or too light. The authors struck a middle path here and it works well for the learners.
This book is a good introduction to minerals and would fit well in a nonfiction reading class or in a science class where rocks and minerals are part of the science content. The glossary and index are simple and straightforward.
Review posted on 12/3/2012
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