Each volume of the Bring Science Home series offers 10 theme-related science experiments. All four titles follow the same format. A catchy title sets up a guiding question, followed by background context on why people might want to find the answer, explanations of key scientific principles, and nitty-gritty details: time requirement, materials, preparation, step-by-step directions, ideas for further exploration, observations and results (a series of open-ended questions), and clean-up. All projects are perfectly safe for home or classroom environments and most require household materials. Some activities are time-honored standards; other reflect updated components. In Dive In! student scientists use a traditional water-filtering activity to strain out food dyes found in energy drinks. Pages feature bold fonts and highlighted boxes set off in bright blocks of color; each selection ends with a recap of the scientific method, a glossary, and lists of resources. Most of these activities will require initial adult direction, but kids should then be able to take the lead. These tried-and-true activities are sure to engage young audiences.

Each of these books offers 10 activities that include clear directions and expectations. Readers might construct an artificial hand, explore surface tension, or create fractal prints. The amount of time needed, a materials list, and the steps for preparation, procedure, and even clean up are listed. A background section explains how the activity works and where it may be seen in the real world, while an “Observations And Results” section explains details of what happened and how to correct any problems. Many of the activities also have additional suggestions to make the experiment suitable for science fair competition. A list of additional resources includes books, websites, and videos for further exploration of topics. VERDICT Especially helpful for their clarity of instructions and use for science fair ideas. This set would also be useful in a STEM lab.