The Acadia Files Book Two, Autumn Science {A Gracious Giveaway Hop Event}

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Kids are curious creatures.

We've all heard it said that the average 4-year-old asks something like 437 questions a day. I can say this certainly is true for my newly 5-year-old too. At that age, kids are still learning about the world, it's all new to them. As kids get older, they may (or may not) stop asking the questions out loud as much, but that doesn't mean they are still there. I can honestly say that my science loving 11-year-old is still every bit as curious as his younger sister. Perhaps even more so when it comes to the topic of science.

We recently discovered a fantastic series called The Acadia Files that helps to answer some of those burning questions in a great new way. Today I'm excited to share a little bit more about the second book in the series:

The Acadia Files: Book Two, Autumn Science presents five stories of fall, each one followed by Acadia’s science notebook pages with her simple explanations and lively, whimsical drawings of natural phenomena. The Acadia Files is a fun introduction to the wonders of science, using real-world scenarios to make scientific inquiry relatable and understandable. Parents and educators can use The Acadia Files to let kids discover for themselves what it’s like to be curious about the world and to satisfy that curiosity with scientific thinking.
Acadia Greene wants answers. What happened to the frogs she used to see at her favorite local pond? Why do leaves change color in the fall, and why don’t evergreen needles do the same? What is the water cycle, and what is transpiration? How do time zones work, and why does the sun set at different times in different places within a single zone? How do germs infect us? Acadia doesn’t mean to do science, but she has questions and her parents refuse to simply give her the answers. “Conduct an experiment,” they tell her. “Use the scientific method.” So Acadia makes hypotheses, designs experiments, analyzes data, and draws conclusions. Acadia does science.
The author, Katie Coppens writes a recurring column for NSTA's middle school magazine Science Scope on science and literacy called "The Integrated Classroom."

My son absolutely loved this. It's designed for middle school readers, but I would say it's still a fairly simple read. Each chapter begins with a short story and then offers us a look at Acadia's research journal. This might include experiments performed, illustrations to better explain finding, even some questions that still require some exploring. It's part story, but really does teach a lot of great stuff too. Even better, this book is all about all things fall. The stories include: The Frog Pond. Why Leaves Change Colors, Drinking Dinosaur Pee, What Time Is It?, and The Germ War.

First and foremost, can we just address that 'Drinking Dinosaur Pee' for a moment. If you have an 8-12 year old boy (give or take a year or two), chances are this is really going to catch their attention. My experience as a mom to an eleven year old has certainly shown me that there is nothing they love more than a good potty joke. The reality is, this chapter is actually about the water cycle... but what a funny way to address it, right? I love how it makes learning that much more fun and appealing.

Aside from that, I love how seasonally appropriate these topics are right now. Exploring why the leaves outside have changed from their usual green to brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red or why the time changes... these are the questions that kids might be wondering right NOW. That doesn't mean they cannot read them at other times throughout the year, but it can be a great way to get kids reading and learning throughout each and every season. At the end, there are additional resources kids can check out to explore these subjects even further, encouraging them to do their OWN research too.

My son loved these for the fun topics and cool layout, and as a mom, I loved that they were books that while still fun for him, actually taught him something too. I cannot wait to see more books in the series.

Do you have a child who has a curious mind and/or loves science? These books are an absolute must see. They are available to purchase now at your favorite book retailers.



And one very lucky reader is going to win a copy of the second book for themselves. Enter using the giveaway form below:

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