What’s It Made Of?: The Materials That Shape Our World

Gr 4 Up–The publisher has assembled an introduction to many everyday items categorized by In Your Bag, Play, Home, and Out and About. Under these headings, readers will find a mix of items, inventions, and resources. Depending on the item, a discovery history may be shared or more information about the item’s invention. The work is, of course, not comprehensive and will likely just wet whistles and lead to requests for more in-depth titles. It has colorful backgrounds and text overlaid on full-bleed pictures rather than an easy-to-read white background usually found in DK titles. The text does remain in compact paragraph format, and the page design is very busy. Some topics (wood, piano, and drum kit) follow a logical progression, while others feel random, like wool and how to use it. The reference section details different ingredients, such as natural and synthetic fibers. All photos are from stock, and credit is given.