The book What is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases is an informational text about states of matter. It uses kid-friendly language to define the three different states of matter, solid, liquid, and gas, and uses illustrations along with explanations to define them. Throughout the book, the author offers suggestions for readers to experience what she is describing, for example, she says to spin around with your arms out and feel the air against your arms, or to hold an ice cube and watch and feel as it goes through the process of changing from a solid to a liquid.
I really like this book because it starts with basic explanations and illustrations of the states of matter but uses many examples, illustrations, and suggestions for activities.
If I were to use this book in my class, I would read the beginning of it and create an anchor chart defining the states of matter. Then I would move slowly through the rest of the book actually letting my students experience the real-life examples in the book in an inquiry setting. ( )

This provides an introduction into solids, liquids, and gases. It will provide students with basic information on states of matter. It provides the students with examples that they see in their everyday life, which is good because students learn from relating things to their own like. The book, What's the Matter in Mr. Whiskers' Room?, will provide the students with more in depth information on matter. The What Is the World Made Of?, would be a great introduction into the lesson on matter. It will get the students excited about the lesson, because they will want to do experiments like the children in the book did. ( )

This is a fun interactive book on states of matter. The author uses words and objects children are familiar with when explaining the states of matter. The illustrator took the words and gave the reader realistic examples so the reader could understand the concepts. The author and illustrator worked well to help the reader understand solids, liquids, and gases. The reader is able to read about the states of matter and can also replicate the activities discussed in the book. The author was very clear when a child should have an adult help them with the activity and if they should not do something because it may harm them. This book is a great read for an elementary school classroom or for a parent to read with a child. The adult should have some supplies on hand to complete the activities discussed to help the young reader get hands on experience.
In this book, I was able to see diversity since the children and adults in the book clearly had different ethnicity and/or race. The illustrator also included children and adults wearing glasses.
The author included a section at the end with additional activities the reader can do to learn more about states of matter. The inside back cover includes short biographies on the author and illustrator but it does not include a bibliography. ( )

This is a great introductory book which explains various states of matter very well with illustrations that show a great deal of diversity. It starts out with with a bit of cadence to get the kids hooked and is humorous at the start ("Have you ever seen anyone walk through a wall? Did you ever drink a glass of blocks? Have you ever played with a lemonade doll, or put on milk for socks? ). It goes on to explain that matter comes in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. It proceeds to go through an explain each one with some detail, even offering various experiments that kids could try with stuff around the house (ex. smelling perfume across the room for gas, watching water droplets fall on the outside of a glass as the ice melts, etc.). At the end, it is funny again and suggests what life would look like if matter was different. ( )

I read this book last semester to a group of first graders, and they loved it. I used it as a closing for a thematic unit, rather than an opening. Reading it now, I definitely think it can be used as an opening. It not only goes through explaining solids, liquids, and gases, but it also gives valid pictures to show students the differences. I thought this book did a really good job of tying my lesson together last semester, and I definitely plan to use it in future lessons. ( )