Originally published in the Netherlands, this book offers middle-grade readers interested in earth science the answers to many questions, including ones they never thought to ask ey'll discover how it's possible, for example, for them to have stegosaurus pee or Michael Jackson's sweat in their water glasses! Mixed-media illustrations and pop-culture references explain how the solar system was formed, while size comparisons are made with familiar objects. Explanations abound: why summer is hotter than winter, how tides ebb and flow, the way mountains develop, etc. Earth's abundance of water leads to suggestions on how to reduce climate change, and how to survive extreme weather. There's an anthropological aspect as well, as the book notes Earth's first peoples, and their fate in the face of colonizers. Reading activities and energetic illustrations will help engage readers, although, at times, the drawings are misleadingly flippant, and the inclusion of a sombrero comes with some unnecessary stereotypes. Still, although this doesn't delve deeply into all of Earth's natural processes, there's enough scientific information to satisfy many students' curiosity.

In this overview of concepts from the many scientific disciplines within the earth sciences, topics are organized into chapters on geology, planetary science, weather, water, and geography. Though a large number of ideas are covered, they are clearly explained and organized to present comprehensive coverage of the field. Plentiful if small illustrations throughout include helpful diagrams.

An appreciative introduction to the planet we call home.Chapter by chapter the author, a Dutch writer of nonfiction books for young readers, covers the Earth's origins, its position in the solar system, its composition (various forms of rock, water, and air), and its ever growing number of human occupants. Via Watkinson's translation, he explains complex concepts in relatively simple words, using familiar examples. The layers of the Earth's rock are compared to the layers of a "mega club sandwich" (amusingly illustrated by Panders), for instance. He picks facts that young readers are likely to appreciate and perhaps retain. He explains climate change clearly, bringing it home with sample news headlines from Sept. 8, 2106, and offers some sensible suggestions that readers can personally effect to slow the process. He also suggests ways to survive extreme weather events: hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, floods, droughts, and forest fires. He describes the movement of human beings from the first tribes to leave their home valley through the eventual population of every continent to the exploration and mapping of the world, mostly by Europeans—the publisher reminds readers that many of these explorers were really conquerors of peoples already living in the places they found. While any survey of earth science will include some oversimplifications, this information seems reasonably accurate. The translation is very smooth, and the facts are extensively footnoted. There is no index. Earth science engagingly presented for middle-grade readers. (notes) (Nonfiction. 9-14)