Review Detail

Insightful, engaging, and downright fun! LEGO hits on all the learning styles in this brilliantly interactive science primer.

The book begins with the concept of atoms, and quite literally builds from there. Once the foundation is established, it moves on to cover things like gravity, motion, energy, and the forces. The information progression is logical, accessibly explained, delivered in single paragraphs, and interspersed with enough graphic material to keep it from feeling overwhelming.

This book is well organized and appealingly laid out. The wide range of content mediums include: jokes, mini-comic strips, charts and diagrams, vibrant photographs, 2-page ‘Fact Attack’ spreads, and ‘Try It’ suggestions on LEGO-related activities that may bolster comprehension. Not surprisingly, it also offers clear instructions to young readers on how to build their own visual aids. (And the scientist mini-figure included with this product proved an excitement-inducing bonus to my 8 and 9-year-old.)

My only qualm would be that the book is sometimes a little too definite about the answers they give. (Example: When the question is posed of “What happens if you get sucked into a black hole?” is asked, a very certain answer is given—rather than any prefacing with the reality that scientists don’t actually agree on this yet.) Parents may want to encourage critical thinking by reading along with their children and pointing out instances of oversimplification.

Overall, a fantastic resource for introducing science in an endearing and palatable way.