In this How Do series (2 titles) entry, author Shand uses humorous scenarios, questions, and answers to draw readers into a technical subject. Before introducing each machine, she asks a question related to how it works, and gives a silly suggestion r example, proposing that secret rocket boosters help larger bicycles go faster than smaller ones. After proclaiming "No way!" she reveals which machine the object exemplifies, and then explains how it really works. After the vivid introduction, the explanation itself can feel a bit dry, but it does provide sufficient information about the simple machine. Bassani's clever illustrations and diagrams both match the text's whimsy and provide visual reinforcement for the text. Photos at the end of the book provide additional examples of the various simple machines.