Brains On! Presents...Road Trip Earth: Explore Our Awesome Planet, from Core to Shore and So Much More

by Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez, Sanden Totten

Overview

The creators of the award-winning science podcast for kids, Brains On!, take readers on a humorous, highly illustrated, fact- and fun-filled journey through Earth—from the core, to the outer atmosphere, and everywhere in between. Perfect for STEM enthusiasts!

​Did you ever wonder why volcanoes erupt? Or why the ocean is salty? How about why no two snowflakes are the same?

Embark on an epic road trip to find the answers to these burning questions and more! The Brains On! team is traveling from deep inside the earth, through the oceans, the land, the clouds, and even into the outer atmosphere in their high-tech ride—to uncover the coolest facts, strangest mysteries, and most incredible marvels of our planet.

Packed with scientific research, mind-boggling trivia, and laugh-out-loud jokes, this highly illustrated fact-filled exploration of the earth promises a brain-bending, jaw-dropping, belly-laughing good time that curious kids and budding scientists won’t be able to resist.

Turn your BRAINS ON! with more books and check out:
Brains On! Presents...It's Alive
Brains On! Presents...Earth Friend Forever

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316459365
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Series:	Brains On! Presents
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	129,098
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez, and Sanden Totten are the creators of American Public Media’s Brains On! and the authors of It’s Alive and Earth Friend Forever. They became friends while working at Minnesota Public Radio and decided to make a show for kids, because kids are awesome. They invite you to visit them at brainson.org, follow them @Brains_On, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Part I Into the Earth

This Core Is No Bore 2

On the Earth's Plates 10

Part 2 Wet, Wild, and Weird

Under Where? Underwater! 24

The Wide World of Water 42

Part 3 Totally Grounded

Land, Sweet Land 64

Fantastic Formations 74

Part 4 Sky's the Limit

Head in the Clouds 96

Nature's First-Class Fliers 110

Up in the Air 116

Home, Sweet Home 127

Acknowledgments 129

Listen On with Brains On! 131

Selected Bibliography 133

Index 143

About the Authors 149

Editorial Reviews

"This title treats readers to an enjoyable tour of different parts of Earth… While cartoon-like illustrations keep the mood light, the text and illustrations clearly explain the topics under discussion."—School Library Connection

"Facts and fancy combine for a planetary road trip to remember."

—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Brains On! Presents...It's Alive:
"A grab bag of bio-wonders."—Kirkus Reviews

"This eye-catching and engaging offering will perk up STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, medicine) collections and will appeal to browsers and researchers alike."—Booklist

"Science and humor come together to create a title that will be picked up again and again."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

04/29/2022

Gr 3–6—Readers hungry for an in-depth exploration of earth science will find much to enjoy about this book, written by the hosts of the popular BrainsOn! science podcasts for kids. Reminiscent of the hugely successful "Magic School Bus" series, the three adult characters/podcast hosts travel to their destinations in a specially equipped minivan that can travel below the earth's surface and into the atmosphere. Divided into four parts that cover the earth's core, ocean life, land, and the atmosphere, each section includes solid information presented via text, cartoonlike illustrations, dialogue bubbles, lists, sidebars, comic panels, photographs, and more. Fun features such as "Mystery Photos." "Pit Stops," and "Road Trip Souvenirs" describe unusual places or things, plus there are comparisons of natural phenomena, mini-biographies of different types of earth scientists, and many silly jokes and puns to keep the information lively and fun. Main characters are white; back-up characters are depicted with darker skin. Back matter includes a list of relevant BrainsOn! podcasts, an extensive bibliography, and an index. VERDICT A recommended purchase for your earth science collection.—Sue Morgan

School Library Journal

2021-12-16
The three hosts of the award-winning science podcast Brains On! invite young readers to tag along as they journey to the center of the Earth.

In their state-of-the-art minivan (reminiscent of Joanna Cole’s Magic School Bus), the authors travel across land and water and into the air to investigate “remote realms.” For each trip, they pack helpful tools and snacks appropriate to their destination. Chapter by chapter, they explore the Earth’s layers and tectonic plates; deep-sea wonders and “the wide world of water”; sand, soil, and land formations; and, finally, the atmosphere, weather, and outer space. The chatty, informally written text invites readers to enjoy their discoveries. Children may groan at the cheesy jokes, but their attention will be held by the lively visual presentation that includes panels, mystery photos, graphic sidebars, and more. Recurring “Break It Down” text boxes unpack some scientific terms. Food metaphors and wordplay abound, aiding retention of facts and concepts. The often amusing cartoony illustrations, rendered digitally, feature caricatures of the three apparently White podcast hosts. Other characters with varying skin tones occasionally appear. As a broad overview of earth science, this works, though more knowledgeable readers may find it more of a smorgasbord than a four-course meal. The backmatter includes a list of relevant podcast episodes, a selected bibliography, and an index. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Facts and fancy combine for a planetary road trip to remember. (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews