Book Review: My Dog is NOT a Scientist
My Dog Is Not a Scientist by Betsy EllorMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s time for the school’s annual Science Fair and Yara is super-excited about it! I love Yara’s never-give-up attitude, even when she’s being mocked by Eddie, the guy that’s always won the Science Fair in the past, or when she’s thwarted by her overly-eager dog, Renzo. As she struggles to come up with the perfect project to win first place, she figures out what it means to be a real scientist.
Kids will learn big words like ‘observations’ and ‘hypothesis’ as they appear in the story, explained in clear, short explanations that shouldn’t confuse the intended 5-8 year old reading audience. And speaking of those big words – As a reader who learned a lot of my own vocabulary from books when I was very young, I know it can be tricky to get the pronunciation right without actually hearing the word. Parents can help their child by saying these words aloud, so the child doesn’t turn a mispronunciation into a bad habit.
After the story is finished, there’s one last page in the book. Now it’s time for your child to become a scientist, too! “The Scientific Method” is explained in a way that will help a child formulate a question, and team up with their parents for a successful, exciting outcome.
Learning really should be fun. My Dog is NOT a Scientist just might become your budding scientist’s favorite book.
About The Illustrations
Luisa Vera’s delightful illustrations are bursting with vibrant colors and energy. Yara’s expressions are priceless! I appreciate that the illustrations are chock-full of little details. Most kids enjoy studying these sort of illustrations, and take joy in finding tiny objects, creatures, or other gems that resonate with them. If you see your child lingering for a long time on one page of this chapter book, don’t worry. Odds are that they are on a visual treasure hunt.
My thanks to author Betsy Ellor for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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Lori Alden Holuta
Lori Alden Holuta lives between the cornfields of Mid-Michigan, where she grows vegetables and herbs when she’s not writing, editing, or playing games with a cat named Chives.
