Matter
Teacher Resources

Matter: Physical Science for Kids

By Andi Diehn  
Illustrated by Hui Li
In Matter: Physical Science for Kids, readers ages 5 to 8 discover the basic building block of most of the material they come in contact with every day, including themselves-matter! Children are introduced to the study of physical science through detailed illustrations paired with a nonfiction narrative that uses fun language to convey familiar examples of real-world connections.
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Reviews

The Children’s Book Review’s Best Selling Picture Book
“This month the best selling picture book from our affiliate store is an excellent choice for homeschooling and online learning: Matter: Physical Science for Kids from the Picture Book Science series.” Click to learn more

The 50 Best Science Books for Kids 2018
". . .This is an amazing book with great drawings and really, really understandable examples. It will not only be fun for kids but also for parents as they discover physics is not the enemy they remember from high-school.

Using books such as this one to expose very young children to physics is a good step towards building a curious individual that won’t be scared of abstract thinking once in school! Learn more at PsySci.co.

Unleashing readers.com
Young children have so many questions about the world and how everything works. Curiousity runs wild in their brains, but more than anything they just want to learn and absorb. This series is a must get for parents, classrooms, and libraries because it addresses many of the questions that kids have. Read more online.

Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Science books are always a big hit around here. During our normal read aloud time each day, it’s guaranteed that at least one of them will be science-based. Given that I am reading to two first graders, a preschooler, and an 18-month-old, our choice in science books is typically picture books.

Nomad Press has some great ones to offer. We received the Physical Science for Kids Set for review. The set includes four books: Forces, Waves, Matter, and Energy. All four softcover books are 28 pages long with a one-page glossary at the end of the book. They’re all fully illustrated and just plain fun to read and look at.

Each of the books gives sound scientific concepts in easy to read and understandable terms. They’re relatable, funny, and get the kids thinking. The books are written for children ages 5-8, but children older would enjoy them too.

Matter begins with the basic explanation that “matter is anything that takes up space and can be weighed.” As soon as I read that part in the book, I remembered being told the exact same line in middle school. After looking at different examples of matter, it goes on to explain that matter can have many different shapes, colors, and sizes.

I have only ever heard that there are three forms of matter- liquid, gas, solid. Apparently, there is a fourth form! Plasma! And did you know lightning is plasma?? Yeah, me neither.

Once we got through that surprising bit of information, we learned that there are some things not made of matter. Can you think of any? We couldn’t either. And I’m not going to tell you. The book gives three (surprisingly obvious) answers. You’ll have to look it up and find out.

The Physical Science for Kids Set has been a wonderful addition to our home library. The books are simple enough for everyone to understand yet contain enough scientific truth to be considered a science resource.  They are written in a way that makes them great read alouds, and simple enough that my 7-year-old can confidently read them.

Readleanrepeat.blog
“Andi Diehn’s Physical Science for Kids collection: MatterEnergyForces, and Waves, illustrated by Shululu, is a collection of four books written for kids ages 5-8. With lighthearted illustrations and kid-friendly, conversational prose, these books introduce basic physics concepts through discussion of every day observations. Each book has a focus just narrow enough to allow for the introduction of approximately 10 terms (defined in a glossary at the end of each book), several interactive questions, and a TRY THIS! section with coordinating activities in a length perfect for the targeted age group. The result is a series of interactive, high yield books that set a great foundation in physical science while simultaneously conveying that science is fun, interesting, and within reach. My kids love these books—not only are they chosen for story time frequently, but each reading results in multiple follow-up questions and a burst of renewed enthusiasm for science!”

Picture Book Buzz
“Finding interesting and interactive ways to introduce early readers to nature and science is a one of my goals. There are so many fascinating and bizarre animals, awe inspiring natural places, and amazing science that surrounds us daily. I enjoy discovering fun and informative picture books that share these wonders with younger readers.

Andi Diehn and Nomad Press have created a nonfiction, picture book series that takes the larger themes of energy, forces, matter, and waves and brings them down to examples kids can relate to.” Read the complete review online

Mom Read It
"These are a lot of fun: color artwork on every page, a fun poem to kick off each book, and my favorite part: an explanation of the scientific term, with all the uses of the term."

Wrapped in Foil
"EnergyForcesMatter, and Waves will appeal to the young reader who loves to learn about words. Andi Diehn has a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, so her approach is to make vocabulary shine. The titles start with a lively poem to introduce the topic. Next, the author shows how words can have one or more meanings in everyday usage. Finally, she exposes readers to the more specific definitions of the terminology as it is used in the physical sciences and delves into the concepts. The creative and textured illustrations by Shululu (the pen name of artist Hui Li) add just the right amount of fun to every page."

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Detailed Book Description

Everything you can touch and hold is made up of matter-including you, your dog, and this book! Matter is stuff that you can weigh and that takes up space, which means pretty much everything in the world is made of matter!

In Matter: Physical Science for Kids, readers ages 5 to 8 discover the basic building block of most of the material they come in contact with every day, including themselves-matter! Children are introduced to the study of physical science through detailed illustrations paired with a nonfiction narrative that uses fun language to convey familiar examples of real-world connections.

  • Encourages the development of important skills, including observing, connecting, problem solving, and model testing.
  • Visually stimulating, detailed illustrations make this an excellent choice as a read aloud for younger children.
Available In:
Hardcover, $19.95
9781619306424
Paperback, $9.95
9781619306448
Includes: Glossary
Specs: 8 x 9.75 size | 4-color interior | 32 pages
Subject: Language Arts | Science
Content Focus: Language Arts | Physical Science
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