For my second review of DK’s “Summer of STEM” books, I have How Technology Works. If the Children’s Book of the Future looked at the technology of tomorrow, How Technology Works is rooted in the present. It looks at everything from vaccines to space probes via electric trains, wind turbines, and a whole lot more.
What Is How Technology Works?
There have been versions of this book around for almost as long as the printing press. (Though they were a lot shorter in those days!) DK’s latest offering is bang up to date and filled with their trademark mix of explanatory text, informative diagrams, and evocative photo archive pictures.
How Technology Works is broken down into five color-coded sections.
- Body Technology. Everything you could ever want to know about how we monitor and image the body. How technology can help us heal and help replace missing limbs. This section closes out with a description of vaccines—two pages that ought to be made compulsory reading across the globe.
- Personal and Home Technology. Ever wondered why houses are built the way they are? Then this is the chapter for you. From construction to water supply, electricity, and heating, we learn about the ins and outs of the places we live. From there we move into communications, GPS, and the devices you’re reading this review on.
- Power and Industry. Moving beyond the personal, chapter three describes the infrastructure that surrounds us. Water supply and power supply (in its myriad forms) are explained here. You’ll also learn about materials and manufacturing before moving on to how massive public buildings and structures are made.
- Transport and Technology. The first part of this chapter can be summed up by John Candy and Steve Martin: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. You’ll find all sorts of nautical technology too.
- Space Technology. How do we get to space? Rockets and space stations are explained here, as well as Mars rovers and telescopes. There is a final entry on emerging technology.
Why Read How Technology Works?
How Technology Works is an excellent addition to any library—home or school. It’s perfect for homework projects that involve finding out how the world works, but more than that it will entice inquisitive minds to investigate the technology around them. They might start by wondering how fire engines work, and before long they’re investigating electric cars, high-speed trains, and submarines.
As ever, the diagrams in the book are excellent with just the right level of explanatory text and labels to be informative without putting readers off by hitting them with great walls of text. There are even a few amusing “mishaps” (such as an all too accurate seagull flying overhead) included in the illustrations. These provide both things to look out for and some light-heart moments amongst all the knowledge being handed out.
If you have a technology-minded child in your life, How Technology Works is the perfect gift. You’ll probably find yourself having a nosey too. There’s a lot of stuff in here that I just take for granted, and I couldn’t resist taking a peep just to see how it all actually works. Mobile phones? Turns out, they don’t use magic!
If you would like to pick up a copy of How Technology Works you can do so here in the US and here in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
