Little Learning Labs: Astronomy for Kids, abridged paperback edition: 26 Family-friendly Activities about Stars, Planets, and Observing the World ... Learners (Volume 1) (Little Learning Labs, 1) Paperback – Abridged, October 2, 2018

Astronomy Lab for Kids is a new reformatting and abridged re-release of Astronomy Lab for Kids (pub 2016) by Michelle Nichols. This abridged version is 80 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.I'm a huge fan of STEM education for everyone. In fact, the earlier we can introduce everyone to the limitless opportunities for growth, discovery, problem solving and coolness, the better off we'll all be. I'm therefore quite excited whenever I see science/tech books aimed specifically at young readers (and their caregivers). The author of this book is an experienced educator with a science background.Although this book is generally aimed at kids, there are a lot of really neat labs which answer questions which would stump many adults (for example, why IS the sky blue, mom?!). The book's format presents learning units set up as safe lab exercises which can be done in a limited amount of time, with a limited number of household items and in a manner which is fun, engaging, and accessible.The photography and text supplement and support the experiments very well. I like that the author gently introduces good lab protocol regarding safety and recordkeeping (lab journals for the win!).This is a good appealing and solid book, very well done.Five starsI do have one truly minuscule quibble with the book, and I feel nit-picky even writing this down. At the end, the experimenters pictured in the book (the children), get credit photos, and it struck me that the caucasian kids were over-represented. (Short explanatory apology. I went through university in an engineering program in the early 1980s and across all the disciplines, there were only a handful of girls/women. I spent my university years very isolated and alone (as well as being 3-4 years younger than my peers.) This book gets the gender ratio democratically correct at 50/50 boys/girls, but they seem to be mostly or all(?) white kids). It shouldn't matter, and it doesn't really matter, and I am sure that the editors and author considered this. It's also entirely possible that whatever selection criteria were used to find the participants was limited by the applicants or something.Anyhow. STEM book for kids, and it's a good one.Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Astronomy Lab for Kids is an excellent hands-on book filled with fun, kid-appropriate experiments. I liked how clear and easy to read the layout of the book was. I especially appreciated that there was an emphasis on keeping a science journal of the experiments. Kids are able to engage with the material by doing, observing, and recording the experiments.The instructions are written so that a kid could feasibly follow the instructions themselves. It is also clearly noted when adult supervision and participation is required. I really like how much kids can do independently - allowing kids to foster a real intellectual curiosity without constant input from an adult.I would definitely recommend purchasing a hard copy of the book - it will be much more user-friendly than an electronic copy.Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.