Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small by Jess Wade, Melissa Castrillón
Published by Candlewick Press on September 15, 2021
ISBN: 9781536217667
Pages: 32
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

This book introduces readers to the tiny building blocks that explain atoms, the elements, and other essential science concepts. Some explanations are very clear, e.g “tiny ” doesn’t just mean “litte” – it means more than a quintillion times smaller than a grain of sand. While others left me wanting more of an explanation, e.g. how did someone separate one layer from graphite to create graphene and why is it so strong? “If you made a tightrope out of graphene, an elephant could walk along it without breaking it.”  I also have mixed feelings about Melissa Castrillón’s pencil and digitally colored muted illustrations. Overall,  nanoscience is certainly a fascinating field, and this is an excellent introduction for getting young children interested in science and the the work of scientists.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library