The Greatest Stuff on Earth: The amazing science of sunlight, smartphones, microphones, mushrooms & everything in-between

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 6

A quirky, surprise-filled and lighthearted romp through the stuff that makes up our world, from atoms, elements, and light, to water, soil, and DNA, to buildings, books, and smartphones.

The amazing science of sunlight, smartphones, microphones, mushrooms and everything in-between.Have you ever stopped to think about all the stuff you encounter every day? There’s the stuff you breathe, the stuff you eat, the stuff you wear, the stuff you read, the stuff you walk on, the stuff you ride in, the stuff your body is made of… plus water, trees, sunlight, soap, electricity, vaccines, smartphones, and so much more! In The Greatest Stuff on Earth, Steve Tomecek and John Devolle show us how this stuff works, including the miracle of transforming energy into matter and matter into energy. Stars do it…and also internal combustion engines…and living things, including grass and bacteria and worms and cheetahs and even us humans.With contagiously enthusiastic and chatty explanatory text, fast facts, and clever, stylish and sometimes funny photos, illustrations, and diagrams, this fantastically browsable book offers hundreds of entry points for knowledge-hungry kids.Steve holds a degree in Geology and has 30 years’ experience educating children (and their teachers) about science in a super fun, friendly way – as a writer, a radio and television presenter, and a live performer. He’s the perfect person to introduce middle-grade kids to the inner workings of the material world.Includes a glossary and index.

About the Author

Steve Tomecek began his professional career as a geologist (yes, he’s a real scientist!), specializing in geomorphology and soils. He served as the Associate Director for the Science Museum of Long Island and as the Science Program Supervisor for the New York Hall of Science. Steve has written over 45 non-fiction books for both children and teachers and was the writer and star of “Dr. Dad’s Ph-3,” an Emmy-award-winning television series. He lives with his wife in Queens, New York.John Devolle studied art at the University of Westminster in London, UK. He works full-time as a freelance illustrator, specializing in editorial illustration and infographics and both writing and illustrating children’s nonfiction. John loves music as well as art, and for several years he was a guitarist in a punk-blues-garage band called Junkbox and did a bit of music production for other bands. He lives, works, and walks the dog in Walthamstow, East London, UK.