One sentence summary
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why introduces young kids to the why of the world in a captivating, absorbing and educational way.
Book genre
Children’s non-fiction
Main topic of the book
The main topic of the book is to introduce children to science and technology in an engaging and understandable way.
Key ideas
- Introducing the scientific method – Teaching kids about reasoning, observing facts and doing experiments as a way to understand the world and answer their own questions.
- Exploration of different branches of science and the natural world – Exploring botany, zoology, astronomy, weather, the human body, and technology.
- Development of early scientific vocabulary – Introducing scientific words in a fun and informative way.
Main parts of the book and a short summary
- Part 1: About Science and Natural Wonders – Includes a section on why to explore science, why to observe the natural world around us, and why to learn about the human body.
- Part 2: Wonders of Nature – Explores plants, animals, and the environment, discussing their lifecycles, behavior, and interdependent relationship, as well as consequences of human actions on the natural environment.
- Part 3: Wonders of the Universe – Explores outer space, looking at stars, planets, and other celestial objects.
- Part 4: Wonders of Weather, Force, and Motion – Explores how weather works, and how forces and motion shape our world.
- Part 5: Wonders of Technology – Explores how technology has developed over time, and how it is being used today.
- Part 6: About the Author and Index – Contains additional information on the author and an index to the topics discussed in the book.
Key takeaways
- Introducing science and technology in an interesting and appealing way. – With the help of lively illustrations and interactive activities, readers learn how science and technology influence our daily life.
- Building early scientific vocabulary – By exploring different branches of science and the natural world, kids learn scientific words in a fun way.
- Exploring cause and effect relationships – Through the discussions about lifecycles and behavior of plants and animals kids learn how the their interaction shapes our world.
Author’s background and qualifications
Amy Shields is a children’s book author and editor. She has authored and co-authored more than 80 books for children and young adults. Her writing has earned her numerous awards, including the International Reading Association Award, the Children’s Choice Book Award, and the state Young Reader Awards in both Arkansas and Ohio.
Target audience
The target audience of the book is young children ages 5 to 7.
Publisher and first publication date
The book is published by National Geographic Kids. It was first published in April 2017.