This amazing book utilizes real-size photographs to teach young learners about simple machines.  Instead of explaining in words alone how machines look and function, this book conveys information about scale, proportion, and use with accurately-sized photographs. Simple, leveled text helps readers access this information and build vocabulary. There is no shortage of youth titles on simple machines, but this one benefits from the publisher’s clean, elegant, tried-and-true format of devoting two-thirds of each page to a vibrant, highly relevant photo, while using the remaining third for one or two very short sentences. Rissman begins with declarative statements: “Machines are tools. Machines make work easier.” Simple, yes, but the two accompanying photos will immediately open minds: one of an egg beater, the other of a massive construction crane. Then begins the roll-out of the basic machines: lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, screw, pulley, and wedge. What makes this book part of the Real Size Science series is that many of the photos are stamped “Real Size” and feature the object—a crowbar, inline skates, a water bottle—at a realistic dimension. This addition is not especially useful, but it does add a point of interest. A picture glossary concludes. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus There is no shortage of youth titles on simple machines, but this one benefits from the publisher’s clean, elegant, tried-and-true format of devoting two-thirds of each page to a vibrant, highly relevant photo, while using the remaining third for one or two very short sentences. Rissman begins with declarative statements: “Machines are tools. Machines make work easier.” Simple, yes, but the two accompanying photos will immediately open minds: one of an egg beater, the other of a massive construction crane. Then begins the roll-out of the basic machines: lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, screw, pulley, and wedge. What makes this book part of the Real Size Science series is that many of the photos are stamped “Real Size” and feature the object―a crowbar, inline skates, a water bottle―at a realistic dimension. This addition is not especially useful, but it does add a point of interest. A picture glossary concludes. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus --Daniel Kraus There is no shortage of youth titles on simple machines, but this one benefits from the publisher's clean, elegant, tried-and-true format of devoting two-thirds of each page to a vibrant, highly relevant photo, while using the remaining third for one or two very short sentences. --"Booklist" Rebecca Rissman can usually be found at her laptop, hard at work on a new book for children. Shes written over 100 nonfiction books for young readers about science, math, and history.