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Cool Science: Review of How to Clone a Sheep by Hazel Richardson


How to Clone a Sheep

By Hazel Richardson

Illustrated by Andy Cooke

Kids love science when it’s served up on their level and written in a lively, humorous style. That’s exactly what you get with How to Clone a Sheep by Hazel Richardson and Illustrated by Andy Cooke. This fun little book is a first-rate introduction to genetics, DNA and cloning aimed at kids in about the 4th through 8th grades. The book also has some activities that are easy and educational.

How to Clone a Sheep covers the basics. Beginning by explaining what exactly are clones, DNA and genes, the book approaches the subject from a historical perspective, explaining historical thought about the inheritance of traits and how these ideas were either confirmed or rejected. Finally, it explains the science and methodology employed to produce Dolly, the famous cloned sheep. There is quite a bit of interesting historical information provided, as well. Richardson’s description of the race among scientists to discover the secrets of DNA is especially amusing, and it gives us an inside perspective on scientific research.

I think that adults would enjoy reading this along with their kids. In fact, it was my 6th grader who found this book and passed it along to me after reading it herself. She insisted I’d love it and she was right. The explanations are simplified and accompanied by terrific cartoonish drawings that perfectly illustrate the text.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 2:04 pm and is filed under Book Reviews, Children's Books, Illustrated Books, Nonfiction, Science, Science, education . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Cool Science: Review of How to Clone a Sheep by Hazel Richardson”

  1. Amy @ Hope Is the Word Says:
    January 2nd, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    Dan,

    This comment has nothing whatsever to do with the post. :-)

    I just realized that I never responded to your comment on my blog back in October 2009 about The Handbook of Nature Study. I do not own that book, but there are lots of blogs out there by homeschoolers who use it as a textbook of sorts with their children. One you might want to check out is this one—> http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/

    I actually want to purchase a copy of The Handbook of Nature Study, but it is a little pricey, so I’m waiting ’til my children are a little older.

    I’m sorry I’m just now responding!

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