Help me find this science book aimed at kids.

July 11, 2012 12:38 PM

What was that book? 1970s or early 1980s science book for kids, illustrated with black and white photographs.

A question turned up on another "what was that book" forum that I was sure was about a book I owned, except the cover got torn off my copy early on and I never really registered a title or author. So now I'm ransacking my memory!

The cover had, as I recall, rows of smaller "iconic" images arranged in a larger square: a frog, a rainbow, etc. It was softbound. It was a general science book, explaining everything from tastebuds to light to sex (one of the best, most straightforward explanations of sex I've ever seen) and included experiments like training a beansprout to grow through a maze. It was illustrated with black and white photos of kids and simple black and white line drawings. I think the author may have been female.

posted by PussKillian to media & arts (5 answers total)

Gotta be The Science Book by Sara Stein! I just confirmed by checking my own copy, still on my shelf after three decades.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:02 PM on July 11, 2012

That's totally it, thank you! I thought I was going to tear my hair out. I need a new copy of it.
posted by PussKillian at 8:31 PM on July 11, 2012

So funny. I asked about this book back in November 2010, and nobody guessed. Glad someone got yours in the first comment! Love this book.
posted by simulacra at 11:33 PM on July 11, 2012

Looks like someone else asked about it in October 2007, and everybody got it right.
posted by cincinnatus c at 6:41 AM on July 12, 2012

It's funny - just about everywhere this book gets described, the fact that it gave a clear discussion of sex gets mentioned. Must have made an impression on a bunch of us!
posted by PussKillian at 6:59 AM on July 12, 2012