Do You Know Quantum Physics? (Brainy Science Readers)

Written by Chris Ferrie

Text adapted by Brooke Vitale

Illustrations by Chris Ferrie and Lindsay Dale-Scott

Sourcebooks Explore

978-1-7282-6153-9

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

November 2022

The field of quantum physics would seem a challenging STEM topic for adults, much less for children. But one thing Chris Ferrie does very well is distilling down complex scientific ideas into manageable bites and he does the same for quantum physics with his latest in the early reader series called Brainy Science Readers. With clear and concise text and illustrations, and analogies between balls and parts of an atom, Chris Ferrie introduces young readers to atoms, electrons, neutrons, protons, energy, and quanta.

From Do You Know Quantum Physics? by Chris Ferrie, illus. by Chris Ferrie and Lindsay Dale-Scott

STEM books tend to be either extensive middle-grade non-fiction texts or picture books that embed a scientific concept within. Do You Know Quantum Physics? is very different in that it is an early reader devoted to the concept of the quantum theory of the atom at its heart. The illustrations carry the message, but the words are dedicated to explaining what an atom and its component particles are and how electrons gain or lose energy. The vocabulary is appropriate for beginning readers and the repetition of words helps highlight key ideas. Moreover, the digitally-rendered artwork by Chris Ferrie and Lindsay Dale-Scott always matches the text directly, allowing for improved retention of the ideas. Chris Ferrie has not wrapped the learning in a story of a little electron looking for its friends or home. It's just the science of how things work. Because of that, it hits the mark. 

From Do You Know Quantum Physics? by Chris Ferrie, illus. by Chris Ferrie and Lindsay Dale-Scott

The Brainy Science series aims to "improve reading skills while immersing children into scientific theory." (pg. 1) And while quantum physics may not be on many, if any, pre-school through Grade 2 curricula, Do You Know Quantum Physics?, with its simplicity of text, ball analogy and bold illustrations, will be a fabulous introduction to the atom.

From Do You Know Quantum Physics? by Chris Ferrie, illus. by Chris Ferrie and Lindsay Dale-Scott

(Marie Curie even makes a very brief appearance.)

Germ Theory for Babies (Baby University)

Written by Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder

Sourcebooks

978-1-7282-3407-6

24 pp.

Ages 4-8

February 2021 

The series may be called Baby University and the books' titles always state that they're "for babies" but there is nothing infantile about the topics addressed in Chris Ferrie's books or the approach taken to do so.

From Germ Theory for Babies by Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder

 

In Germ Theory for Babies which was written with epidemiologist Neal Goldstein and public health attorney Joanna Suder, Chris Ferrie explains how people get sick, starting with the original theory of miasmas causing illness before closer examination of the sick person, ultimately with microscopy, revealed tiny creatures at work. Differentiating between those that can be useful like lactobacillus and those that can make us sick i.e., germs, the authors discuss how germs can be spread, especially important to know during a pandemic. (Actually everything in this book is important to know during a pandemic!)

From Germ Theory for Babies by Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder

Making sure to speak to young readers, the authors emphasize that germs can live anywhere, including home, school and the environment and can live for different amounts of time, depending on the type. While hitting all the salient information about germs, Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder give us capsule drawings of a variety of bacteria, viruses and mould including coronavirus, ebolavirus, staphylococcus, streptococcus, rhinovirus, norovirus and aspergillus.

From Germ Theory for Babies by Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder

 

 

 

 

 

Most relevant for little ones is how to prevent the spread, including not touching one's mouth, nose or eyes, washing hands properly, covering your mouth and even wearing a mask, and staying home when feeling unwell.

From Germ Theory for Babies by Chris Ferrie, Neal Goldstein and Joanna Suder

Germ Theory for Babies is a great primer about germs, how they spread and how to prevent that spread. The text is written at a very easy reading level, with the whole book probably comprising of fewer than two hundred words and most of those being only one or two syllables. The illustrations which appear to be digitally rendered are clean and distinct, appropriate for a concept book, and use white space to effectively focus the reader's attention. Still, zoom bubbles are utilized to provide magnified details of the germs and, while simple, they are accurate and demonstrate the variety of forms that germs can take. (Ebolavirus is a particularly unusual shape.)

 

Don't be put off by the "for Babies" component of the title. These are lessons far beyond those for babies, even if in board book format, but the idea of teaching big concepts in a format perfect for the very young is the whole idea behind Baby University which advances its books as "Simple explanations of complex ideas for your future genius." Germ Theory for Babies should be available to all young children, whether they can read for themselves or not, to understand what we're going through right now with the COVID-19 pandemic and for illnesses from cold viruses, mould and more. But Germ Theory for Babies does more than just enlighten; it also empowers. It prepares children to take precautions and it helps them understand that they can fight back. In other words, it has lessons for everyone.

• • • • • •

Baby University includes over thirty titles by Canadian-born physicist and mathematician Chris Ferrie, including Pandemics for Babies, Rocket Science for Babies, Climate Change for Babies and Robotics for Babies. I encourage teachers and parents interested in fostering scientific exploration with young children to check out the whole series as well as other Chris Ferrie titles, including Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? which I reviewed several years ago.

Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See?

Written and illustrated by Chris Ferrie

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

978-1-4926-5618-0

32 pp.

Ages 2-8

April 2018

Canadian-born physicist Chris Ferrie, currently a lecturer for Quantum Software and Information at the University of Technology Sydney (Australia) takes his science focus from concepts (he has written multiple Baby University board books including Quantum Physics for Babies and General Relativity for Babies) to parody with this second homage to a well-known children's book. His first parody, Goodnight Lab (honouring Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon) took very young readers into the life of Einstein. In Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See?, Chris Ferrie follows Bill Martin Jr.'s classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? rhyming exploration to familiarize readers to twelve world famous scientists.

From Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? by Chris Ferrie

From Albert Einstein to Marie Curie, Ahmed Zewail, Grace Hopper, James Maxwell, Ada Lovelace, George Carver, Chein-Shiung Wu, Alan Turing, Anna Mani, Charles Darwin, and Katherine Johnson, Chris Ferrie acquaints children with distinguished scientists in many fields from different countries and times. It's a light-hearted introduction to many scientists who excelled in their fields but whose names may or may not be known to most adults, much less children. By presenting each scientist with a rhyme that identifies their field and an uncomplicated illustration that details the area of the scientist's expertise, the reader (or listener for those who cannot read yet) will be compelled to ask questions and learn.

From Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? by Chris Ferrie

As in the original book it mirrors, Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? lets its patterned rhyming text draw readers to the end where all twelve scientists are depicted and short blurbs written about their scientist accomplishments.

Chris Ferrie gets the right balance of fact and fun with his words and art. His artwork of simple shapes and distinct line, vividly coloured for a young reader's appreciation, works to focus the reader's attention to recognizing the scientist's face, courtesy of oversized heads, and few but significant clues to their scientific contributions. 

If Chris Ferrie's intention was to inform while entertaining, then Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? has accomplished that. Moreover, for STEM (or STEAM) teachers and parents who want to encourage science in everything and everyone, Chris Ferrie ends his About the Scientists section with a blurb,

And finally, YOU! You can be the next person to change the world. There are so many questions left. What will your answer be?

There are truly scientists every where and every when.

From Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See? by Chris Ferrie