Looking for science-minded home or classroom projects for elementary-school children? These books in the new Project: STEAM series have plenty of hands-on ideas to keep young readers busy. Each project includes numbered instructions, and colorful photos document each step of the process. Sometimes, the instructions are a bit vague (for example, to “find a roller coaster design program online”). The science is generally helpful, but not all of the books provide the same level of science support. Goo Makers presents adequate instructions for making slime and other gooey substances, but the science support is relatively weak, with some explanations of particular effects but little in terms of broader context. Model Makers delves into the scientific and technical context, detailing uses of models in different scientific and real-life cases, from archaeology to architecture, scaling artwork to paleontology, and then provides projects to support each context. Music: The Sound of Science carefully explains how and why various musical sounds are made, and the follow-up projects act as actual demonstrations, allowing readers to explore different ways to create and vary those sounds. Overall, these books are an excellent resource, whether for readers searching for direct inspiration or for adults creating STEAM activities.

Miriam Aronin, Booklist August 2018