The Little Book of Big Questions
Jackie French, Martha Newbigging
Paperback
(Annick Press, Sept. 2, 2000)
Finally, a book for kids that is not afraid to ask the BIG questions. The Little Book of Big Questions addresses a whole lot of questions kids often wonder about. Usually there is no simple answer. For each question, different theories and opinions are illustrated, with easy-to-grasp examples and comparisons. How did the universe begin? What happens when you die? How are humans different from animals? Do aliens exist? Why isn't life fair? How do we know what is right or wrong? How far away are the stars? Stars are too far away to measure in miles or kilometers, so astronomers use light years. A light year is the distance light travels in a year. One light year is nearly 10 million million km (or 6 million million miles) -- that's 10 with another 12 zeros behind it! Should we transplant pig hearts or chimpanzee kidneys into humans? At first I thought, "Yuk, no," and then I thought, "Hey, wait a minute. If I eat pigs, then why can't I have a pig heart? What's the difference?" Within each section a variety of related questions are asked and answers are offered. The text is conversational in tone, making the reader feel part of a discussion. This book will answer some questions, but it will also inspire children to probe more deeply, explore further and find out even more answers.
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