Tag: quantum physics

My First Book Of Quantum Physics (Sheddad Kaid-Sala Ferrón & Eduard Altarriba)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is My First Book Of Quantum Physics by Sheddad Kaid-Sala Ferrón & Eduard Altarriba, a crash course in the science of the universe for little bookworms.

Starting with Newton and working its way through the history and notable discoveries of quantum physics, this exceedingly informational tome introduces young readers to the science of understanding our reality. Exploring historical findings such as Planck and the quanta, basics such a molecules and subatomic particles, and concepts and ideas like Schrödinger’s cat, the manically energetic and colorful illustrations act like a combination of idea maps and infographics, always tucking in a fun fact or necessary definition along with the meat of the page’s subject. By the final page, young scientists with have learned about the Higgs boson, Marie Curie, the mystery of light’s wave-particle duality, and more.

Wow. This was EDUCATIONAL, not only for little ones but for readers of any age – I have a rudimentary understanding of science, and I learned at least a dozen new things in just the first few pages. There is SO MUCH information here, which is amazing, but it also feels a bit overwhelming on some of the busier pages. The illustrations have a wonderful retro vibe that perfectly compliments, rather than competes, with the information. But this is definitely not a book for younger bookworms – there’s no linear story, complicated technical language, and the length and density of the text makes it impossible to get through in a single sitting. That being said, for readers of any age over eight hoping to learn more about science, especially visual learners, this is a treasure. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Quantum Entanglement For Babies (Chris Ferrie)

Leave a comment


Hello, friends! Today’s book is Quantum Entanglement For Babies by Chris Ferrie, a introduction to the titular physics phenomenon for little ones.

Using a series of visual metaphors, the book attempts to simplify the phenomenon of quantum entanglement down to its core concepts. It introduces four balls, two red and two blue. Two of the balls are put into boxes and given to two people, Alice and Bob. Neither person knows what color ball is in their box, but because the balls are like quantum-entangled particles, we know that they will the same.

If that summary is a bit confusing, well, you’re not alone. Quantum entanglement is a pretty advanced concept for little readers to grasp, and I just don’t think this book hits the mark. To be frank, I’m not even sure I understood the subject any better after reading the book, much less JJ. One of the problems seems to be the illustrations which, while simple and boldly-colored to lay out the science neatly, are a bit flat and lifeless. The length was fine, and the language was easily digestible for readers JJ’s age, but the message never felt very clear, which is ostensibly the book’s intent. It’s hard not to compare this to the books from the excellent Baby Loves Science series by Ruth Spiro, which manages to impart complex scientific concepts in a far more approachable and colorful way. Overall, this was not a bad book; any book that encourages an interest in STEM in young children is okay by me, and other readers might find it more engaging. But for us, it didn’t quite light the spark of curiosity. So we will call it Baby Bookworm approved, with an asterisk.