School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-12-- Microwaves cook; CDs play; space shuttles lift. How these and other devices work is explained in this oversized, abundantly illustrated title. Divided into sections on air and space, communications, medicine, and the home, 23 technological advances that have had an impact on our lives are examined. Background information is provided, as is a clear explanation of how each device functions, or, in the case of the Hubble Space Telescope, why it doesn't. Descriptions are accompanied by full-page, sharp, full-color photographs and labeled illustrations. Text and visuals effectively combine to demystify these 20th-century inventions. Both How Things Work (Beekman, 1990) and David Macaulay's The Way Things Work (Houghton, 1988) are encyclopedic in contrast, illustrating hundreds of devices and their underlying principles. While lacking the scope of these two titles and Macaulay's humor, Inside Out will enhance readers' understanding of the concepts. There is no glossary. A useful, up-to-date title.-- Daryl Grabarek, Brooklyn Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.