Baby Loves Thermodynamics!

Author Ruth Spiro
Illustrated by Irene Chan
Board Book
$8.99 US
| $10.99 CAN
On sale Sep 05, 2017 | 20 Pages | 9781580897686
Age 0-3 years | Up to Preschool
Big, brainy science for budding baby scientists.

Babies are natural scientists, discovering and experimenting every minute. With bright, quirky illustrations and simple text, this adorable board book illustrates a practical and accessible example of thermodynamics:  the science of heat and energy. All the energy in Baby comes from the sun. Explore the transfer of energy as it flows from sun to apple to Baby. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two, as well!

With tongue firmly in cheek, the Baby Loves Science series introduces highly intellectual science concepts to the littlest learners.
Good morning, Sun!

The sun shines on Baby.
It makes Baby feel warm.

The sun shines on a tree.
It helps the tree to grow.

How does the sun help the tree grow?
By giving it energy!

Sunlight + Air + Water = Food for the tree
A baby explores heat and energy through a sunny day and a bite of an apple. A white, onesie- and hat-wearing baby greets a smiling sun as Spiro's text, one or two sentences per double-page spread, discusses how the sunshine gives us warmth and helps trees grow. In this case, it is an apple tree. Baby eats one of the fruits, and it gives the little one energy to play and grow. The coda states: "All living things get their energy from the sun." Chan's paintings in cheerful colors adroitly capture the young child's wonder and joy in exploration. While adults may understand that the sun's energy is fueling the growth of the apple tree and, in turn, providing the energy needed for the babe to develop into a toddler, most board-book readers will not begin to grasp the conservation of energy and thermodynamics as the title promises. The companion title, Baby Loves Quantum Physics! tackles an even more abstract concept: Schrödinger's cat and quantum physics. A different tyke, with a slightly tanner complexion and brown hair, plays with a kitten. When Cat hides in the box, the child imagines the possibility that the feline is either awake or asleep (not, thank goodness, living or dead). As a game of hide-and-seek, the project is delightfully developmentally appropriate, but it takes a leap of huge proportions for this book to successfully explain to a toddler a concept most adults are hard-pressed to understand. While children may enjoy the inviting art in these pages, the concepts, like sun shining in the sky, will be way, way over their heads. 
—Kirkus Reviews

When you break down science into simple concepts, they actually do make interesting and wonderful books to read to young children. Baby Loves Thermodynamics! is accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the transfer of energy as it flows from the sun to an apple to baby. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby’s sense of wonder. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two, as well!  If you love this title, be sure to check out the follow-up books in the Baby Loves Science series, Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering! and Baby Loves Quantum Physics!
—Momma's Bacon
Ruth Spiro is an award-winning children's book author and freelance writer whose articles, essays, and stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Her debut picture book, Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist (Dutton), won awards from Writer's Digest and Willamette Writers and was a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year. View titles by Ruth Spiro
Irene Chan enjoys making beautiful things. She is an art director, designer, artist, amateur photographer, and illustrator. View titles by Irene Chan

About

Big, brainy science for budding baby scientists.

Babies are natural scientists, discovering and experimenting every minute. With bright, quirky illustrations and simple text, this adorable board book illustrates a practical and accessible example of thermodynamics:  the science of heat and energy. All the energy in Baby comes from the sun. Explore the transfer of energy as it flows from sun to apple to Baby. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two, as well!

With tongue firmly in cheek, the Baby Loves Science series introduces highly intellectual science concepts to the littlest learners.

Excerpt

Good morning, Sun!

The sun shines on Baby.
It makes Baby feel warm.

The sun shines on a tree.
It helps the tree to grow.

How does the sun help the tree grow?
By giving it energy!

Sunlight + Air + Water = Food for the tree

Reviews

A baby explores heat and energy through a sunny day and a bite of an apple. A white, onesie- and hat-wearing baby greets a smiling sun as Spiro's text, one or two sentences per double-page spread, discusses how the sunshine gives us warmth and helps trees grow. In this case, it is an apple tree. Baby eats one of the fruits, and it gives the little one energy to play and grow. The coda states: "All living things get their energy from the sun." Chan's paintings in cheerful colors adroitly capture the young child's wonder and joy in exploration. While adults may understand that the sun's energy is fueling the growth of the apple tree and, in turn, providing the energy needed for the babe to develop into a toddler, most board-book readers will not begin to grasp the conservation of energy and thermodynamics as the title promises. The companion title, Baby Loves Quantum Physics! tackles an even more abstract concept: Schrödinger's cat and quantum physics. A different tyke, with a slightly tanner complexion and brown hair, plays with a kitten. When Cat hides in the box, the child imagines the possibility that the feline is either awake or asleep (not, thank goodness, living or dead). As a game of hide-and-seek, the project is delightfully developmentally appropriate, but it takes a leap of huge proportions for this book to successfully explain to a toddler a concept most adults are hard-pressed to understand. While children may enjoy the inviting art in these pages, the concepts, like sun shining in the sky, will be way, way over their heads. 
—Kirkus Reviews

When you break down science into simple concepts, they actually do make interesting and wonderful books to read to young children. Baby Loves Thermodynamics! is accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the transfer of energy as it flows from the sun to an apple to baby. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby’s sense of wonder. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two, as well!  If you love this title, be sure to check out the follow-up books in the Baby Loves Science series, Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering! and Baby Loves Quantum Physics!
—Momma's Bacon

Author

Ruth Spiro is an award-winning children's book author and freelance writer whose articles, essays, and stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Her debut picture book, Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist (Dutton), won awards from Writer's Digest and Willamette Writers and was a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year. View titles by Ruth Spiro
Irene Chan enjoys making beautiful things. She is an art director, designer, artist, amateur photographer, and illustrator. View titles by Irene Chan