Science Verse

Illustrated by Lane Smith
Best Seller
$18.99 US
Penguin Young Readers | Viking Books for Young Readers
20 per carton
On sale Sep 23, 2004 | 978-0-670-91057-1
Age 7-10 years
Reading Level: Lexile NP
Sales rights: World
"Amoeba"
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a him amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.

What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes . . . the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun.

  • WINNER
    ALA Notable Book
  • WINNER
    New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
  • WINNER
    Parents' Choice Award
“Clever and often droll, the verse ably juggles facts, meter, and rhyme schemes and usually reflects a student’s point of view: grossed out by the human body, bored by yet another year of dinosaur study, more concerned about writing down the right answer than getting at the truth….A beautifully designed book—intelligent, irreverent, inviting, and downright irresistible.”—Booklist, starred review

About

"Amoeba"
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a him amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.

What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes . . . the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun.

Awards

  • WINNER
    ALA Notable Book
  • WINNER
    New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
  • WINNER
    Parents' Choice Award

Praise

“Clever and often droll, the verse ably juggles facts, meter, and rhyme schemes and usually reflects a student’s point of view: grossed out by the human body, bored by yet another year of dinosaur study, more concerned about writing down the right answer than getting at the truth….A beautifully designed book—intelligent, irreverent, inviting, and downright irresistible.”—Booklist, starred review