Popular Science Children's Review - Do Try This at Home!

Home Authors Books Subjects Events Software Features Links Newsletter Gifts Blog Write Review What's New

Review - Do Try This at Home - Punk Science

The fact that this book is by 'Punk Science' immediately put me a little on my guard. Apparently this is the Science Museum in London's 'comedy team' comprising Jon Milton, Brad Gross and Dan Carter-Hope. However, the concept was good - DIY experiments using household objects, in everything from Light and Sound to Flight and Space.

The presentation is somewhere between Dorling Kindersley and Horrible Science - plenty of illustration, enthusiasm and fun. When compared, for instance, with Wholly Irresponsible Experiments, this is much more clearly intended for children to do themselves, and has less need to get stuff in. Although there are one or two things you might not have lying around, much of Do Try This at Home is feasible without buying stuff.

There's also a DVD that contains some extra experiments that shouldn't be done at home. You can get the idea with one of the videos here:

Fun those these videos are, for me they rather go against the whole idea of the book. If you are going to say DO TRY THIS AT HOME, including a DVD of stuff that you aren't allowed to do seems a little miserable. But perhaps that's just me.

Overall a good addition to the science-through-DIY-experiment genre.

Only in hardback

Reviewed by Brian Clegg

* Our age range recommendation is an estimated guide, but individual readers outside the range could still enjoy the book!

DISCLAIMERS

This site has no connection with Popular Science magazine or other sites and publications with a similar name.

Much of the content of this site is written by popular science writers or friends of popular science writers. Inevitably many of the reviews in such a small community are written by or about someone we know. We always aim to be impartial in our reviews, but there is a connection which we need make clear, as there is no intention to deceive. The content of any review or article is solely the opinion of the author and should not be read or understood on any other basis. The site exists to promote popular science writing and popular science authors and for this reason should be considered promotional material, just as the editorial reviews in an online bookshop or the blurb on the back of a book should be considered promotional.

The website should not be eaten or used where it can come into contact with water.

Disagree with our review? Want to comment on a feature? Contact us at info@ popularscience.co.uk - have your say!

Part of the site