Let’s Power Up!, early elementary real-world look at currents

The time for rubbing our hands to our body before we touch the door knob or open the freezer section at the grocery store is nigh. As an adult, I know that it’s the build-up of something and when I touch the metal thing it gives me a shock. Also, as an adult, I just learned why this only happens in cooler weather. Enter Chris Ferrie, an author who has a sweet spot for writing science-themed books geared at younger readers. He’s written about Quantum Physics for Babies, My First 100 Space Words, plus many more, as well as, Let’s Power Up!. Let’s Power Up!, Charging into the Science of Electric Currents with Electrical Engineering is a very smart illustrated book, but will kids want to read it?

The answer to that depends on how engaged you, the adult reader are with the child in question. Some kids will be immediately attracted to Let’s Power Up!, read it, think about the concepts and try to make the results happen again. Those scientific-minded kids are a joy to spot in the classroom. A sense of ‘I found my people’ vibe will wash over that youth and they’ll seek out Ferrie’s other books.

Our youngest is not a scientifically-minded kid. Actually, he’s a bit of a reluctant reader, so this was a book that we had to sell to him in a way. He’s a visual learner, one who gets the most out of retention by experiencing, and then being told about it. Those kids would be best served by reminding them of the time that their hand was shocked when they touched a door and seeing if they knew why it happened.

In Let’s Power Up! we see Dr. Chris in the living room with a red kangaroo recoiling in pain as his hand was shocked from the door. The two go through a basic proton and neutron conversation, remember, just like Paula Abdul taught us, opposites attract. It also brilliantly explains the power outlet. The movement of charges, or the loop, is what makes electricity. The two plugs in an outlet break the loop and it’s only when something is plugged in that electricity can do its magic.

The two go on to chat about conductors, insulators, and more, all of which are presented in a simple manner. There’s a glossary at the back of the book, questions to encourage thinking about what they just read, and a couple of simple experiments.

Let’s Power Up! is a great read-along, illustrated book that’s presented at an early through late elementary level. Those older readers will find the illustrations too young, but the content is on level for them. It’s those second through fourth graders that will get the most out of the book.

This book works and will get kids thinking about the unforeseen, and scientific reasons why something annoying happens. If you’re like me, you’ll also learn something from the book, which could motivate your kids to learn even more.

Let’s Power UP!, Charging into the Science of Electric Currents with Electrical Engineering is by Chris Ferrie and available on Sourcebooks.

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