The Encyclopedia of Stem words by Jenny Jacoby. Illus. by Vicky Barker

The acronym STEM signifies a broad and complex range of term and ideas. Author Jenny Jacoby has cleverly chosen 100 common and not-so-common concepts to share and explain in The Encyclopedia of Stem Words. This vibrantly illustrated book is the perfect choice for those children who are fascinated by all things STEM related.

Beginning with Adaptation and ending with Zoology, there is so much to learn and understand. All 100 concepts are presented on a colourful, easy to read single page with diagrams and text boxes. Some of those concepts children may already be familiar with include such things as Jupiter, Fossil, Hypothesis, Gravity, Ozone and the Water Cycle. More unfamiliar ones include Hatching which are art techniques for adding shade, tone and texture to an ink or pencil drawing using parallel lines, or Mitochondria, a tiny but important structure inside almost every cell of the body, which help the body make energy.

The Contents, in alphabetical order, are spread across a double page and there is a very detailed Index giving explanations as well as page references. An important addition to the book is the ‘How to use this book’ page which is a welcome guide for young independent readers.

STEM is an important part of the Australian Curriculum, and this easy-to-use guide for both teachers and students in middle to upper primary grades, would be a welcome addition to a classroom, school or public library.

Themes: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics.

Kathryn Beilby