Are you looking for a unique gift for an animal enthusiast of budding biologist? Today I would like to share two excellent interactive science kits from Silver Dolphin Books that would make great gifts!
Animal Adventures: Sharks
by Cynthia Stierle
Published April 2016
Silver Dolphin Books
Interactive Kit
Book 40 pages
Review copy provided by publisher
Goodreads Summary
Animal Adventures: Sharks will take you beneath the ocean’s surface to meet the many sharks that lurk in the depths. Have fun while learning, encounter sharks—large and small, gentle and fierce—with colorful illustrations and fascinating facts, and then build a diorama. Everything you need to explore the ocean is right here.
*This unique set includes a book full of colorful illustrations and intriguing facts about sharks, plus 3-D animal models and a diorama with reusable stickers.
*Journey to all the world’s oceans to learn everything you need to know about these mysterious creatures.
Animal Adventures: Sharks offers a unique learning experience as you meet wild and exotic animals face-to-face.
My Thoughts
The Book:
Did you know that a person is more likely to be struck by lightning that to be bitten by a shark? Young readers will learn about many different kinds of sharks, shark adaptations, shark behavior and lots more!
At only 40 pages the book that accompanies this kit (Amazing World of Sharks) is short enough to manage for many young readers. The text font is simple with adequate line spacing and comfortable font size. Text features such as a table of contents, headings, text boxes, photographs and images with labels and captions and a glossary make it easy to locate and organize the information.
The Kit:
Directions and pictures on how to assemble the diorama and 3-D models are included in the back of the book. They were fun and easy to put together. I did need to use tape on the underside of the tabs for the 3-D pieces of the diorama in order for them to stay up. Adults may need to help with the assembly. Repositional stickers add to the fun and extend the interaction of the kit. Kids will like the small plastic sharks of different types included in this kit as well. To further extend the learning, there are 20 fact cards included with a simple fact on one side and an image of a shark on the other.
Picture taken of the contents of the kit. Diorama parts have been punched out and one 3-D model assembled.
This interactive kit is sure to be hours of fun and learning for young scientists. I would recommend it for ages 5+.
See Inside the Dinosaur: An Interactive 3-D Exploration
by Michael Bright
Published May 2016
Silver Dolphin Books
Interactive Kit
Book 48 pages
Review copy provided by publisher
Goodreads Summary
Examine the fascinating body of a Triceratops, one layer at a time, with See Inside the Dinosaur. The innovative and interactive 3-D format allows kids to discover the inner workings of a dinosaur’s body with a transparent model that includes removable bones and organs. The detailed text and full-color illustrations in the 48-page book provide readers with an up-close look at how different types of dinosaurs survived in the prehistoric world. Also included is a stand-up cardboard model that provides the reader with a complete overview of a dinosaur’s body.
My Thoughts
The Book:
The book begins with a short and simple overview of the three periods within the Mesozoic Era when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. This is followed by a description of fossilization and how paleontologists learn about dinosaurs. Young scientists will learn about the various body systems of dinosaurs, how they protected themselves, reproduction and finally how they became extinct.
Numerous text features will help the reader navigate the book including maps, a timeline, text boxes, diagrams, captions, headings and an index. The colorful pages with images and photographs are engaging and informative.
The Kit:
Included in this interactive kit are a 3-D model of the inside of a triceratops including its skeleton and some inner organs covered in a clear case. Step-by-step diagrams in the back of the book show the organs and bones and how they fit together (the model comes pre-assembled). Two double-sided cardstock models show the muscles, skeleton and inner organs of a T. Rex.
The triceratops model is interesting to examine. I would recommend that an adult assist with the initial disassembling and reassembling as there are many small pieces that could get lost.
Picture taken on the contents of the kit.
Kids will be fascinated by the models and the information they learn from the book. I would recommend this kit for children ages 8 and up.
