Be a Genius This Summer!

Summer is finally here, and the kids are home from school. We play and swim and swing and climb, but we also love having the time and space to learn new things and explore new interests!

DK has a fantastic assortment of reference books in their Be a Genius Boutique that will encourage kids to keep their brains sharp over the summer and help them beat the dreaded summer slide. My kids have been taking advantage of our DK books to learn about science, nature, history, astronomy, and food chemistry. We think your family will love these books too!

Click on the titles or cover pictures to see these books on Amazon.

Knowledge Genius! A Quiz Encyclopedia to Boost Your Brain

We love this engaging encyclopedia format for kids! Organized by category – Science Geek, Nature Know-It-All, Geography Genius, History Buff, and Culture Vulture – every page is packed full of bright, colourful photos and engaging information. The catch? This book gives you the picture, but you need to name the object!

“Test Yourself” side panels list all the names for you to match up in three increasing levels of difficulty. The kids will learn to name flags from around the world, identify musical instruments, and spot the differences between a frog and a toad. Set up a summertime Knowledge Genius championship for the kid to challenge themselves and the family too!

Knowledge Encyclopedia

“The complete visual reference that shows you what other encyclopedias only tell you.”

The new revised and updated second edition of Knowledge Encyclopedia uses 3-D rendered images, visual timelines, and cross-sections to illustrate important concepts, information, and events organized in six chapters: Space, Earth, Nature, Human Body, Science & Technology, and History & Culture. From the scale of the expanding universe and the earliest signs of life on earth to significant events of the 21st century, this massive family reference delves into all the things you ever wanted to know.

There’s also a reference section in the back containing star maps, a map of the world’s countries, world flags, a tree of life diagram showing how all living things on earth are related, record-breaking animal stats, useful conversion tables, significant historical events, a glossary of terms, and a comprehensive index.

Knowledge Encyclopedia is a great resource to keep on the shelf. Older children will find this useful for class projects or enjoy simply flipping through the pages for inspiration.

The Stars: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Cosmos

The Stars is a general reference for anyone interested in space or wanting to take up stargazing. Packed with everything you wanted to know about our solar system and beyond, this hefty volume explores the galaxy with special attention to the constellations around us and our solar system. What’s inside a star? How do scientists detect black holes? What is dark matter and dark energy?

This family reference will introduce readers to the wonders of the cosmos through 3D models, stunning full-colour photos from the Hubble Space Telescope, simple diagrams, and boxes summarizing the key data, main stars, and deep-sky objects associated with each constellation. The useful reference section in the back contains lists of significant stars, constellations, galaxies, and Messier objects, along with a glossary and index.

Timelines of Everything

Instead of boring lists or a dry recitation of facts, this large hardcover volume traces the history of the world through beautifully illustrated timelines. Over 120 visual timelines trace our development from Prehistory, through the Ancient World and Medieval World, into the Age of Exploration and Age of Revolution, and finishing in the Modern World. Learn about ancient civilizations, the development of mathematics, the Golden Age of Piracy, and events leading up to the moon landing.

Detailed illustrations and straightforward text will guide kids through significant moments in history from the Big Bang though to modern day robotics. While this book does attempt to include stories from around the world, there is a definite tilt towards Western history and the United States in particular, most noticeably in the modern 20th century period.

Science You Can Eat by Stefan Gates

If your kids are hungry for knowledge, Science You Can Eat explores the science of food through thought-provoking questions and fun food experiments. Part cookbook, part science book, this colourful guide makes learning delicious through fun and fascinating projects like how to make instant ice cream, drinks that glow, edible slime, invisible ink, and colour-changing liquids.

Why do onions make us cry? What makes chewing gum so chewy and stretchy? How do sight and smell affect our sense of taste? Kids will find lots of real-life applications for the information in this attractive book, and they’ll be sure to share it at the dinner table!

Win Science You Can Eat

One of my readers will win a copy of Science You Can Eat for fun, food, and learning this summer! Enter in the giveaway widget below. This giveaway is open to residents of Canada, 18+. All the winner’s entries will be verified.

Click here to check out my other open giveaways and be sure to follow me on Facebook!

 

Disclosure: I received sample items to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.