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English Pages [264] Year 1991
I
Was Wondering 1991
|
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
2011
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I \
Was Wondering
.
I A
Was Wonderiner —
supplement
to Childcraft
The
How and Why Library
^^
World Book, Inc. a SoDtt Fetzer company Chicago London Sydney Toronto
-•"Sassi,^
?5^
Copyright
©
World Book,
1991 Inc.
525 West Monroe
St.
Chicago, Illinois 60661 All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN
0-7166-0691-7
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 65-25105
Acknowledgments The publishers of Childcraft—The How and Why Library gratefully acknowledge the courtesy of the
&
Shepard Books, a Morrow and Co.,
Alive?" adapted from Hobie Hanson, You 're Weird, by Jamie Gilson. 1987 by Jamie Gilson. Copyright Inc.: "Is It
following publishers, agencies, authors, for permission to use copyrighted poems, stories, and illustrations in this volume. Full
and organizations
illustration
Lothrop, Lee
division of William
©
Reprinted by permission of William
Morrow
&
Company,
Inc.
acknowledgments appear on
"Can I Grow Freckles?" adapted from Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. Copyright © 1971 by Judy Blume. Reprinted by permission of Macmillan, Inc. and Octopus Publishing Group Library. Macmillan,
page 250. HarperCollins, Inc "Wild Strawberries" from A Light in the 1981 by Snake Eye Attic. Copyright Music, Inc Reprinted by permission of :
©
HarperCollins,
Inc.,
Inc.:
and Jonathan Cape. "To the Skeleton of a Dinosaur in a Museum," Copyright ® 1979 by Lilian Moore. Reprinted by permission of Marian Reiner for the Lilian Moore:
Henry Holt and Company, Inc.: "Why There Are Four Seasons in the Year," from The Earth Is on a Fish Back by 's
®
1965 by Natalia Belting. Copyright Natalia Belting. Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt and
Company,
Inc.
author.
William Morrow & Company, Inc.: "Rainbows" from Vacation Time. Copyright 1980 by Nikki Giovanni. Reprinted by permission of William
©
"Hide and Seek Shadow," by Margaret Hillert, from Farther Than Far Copyright © 1969. Used by permission by the author, who controls all rights.
Sandra
Liastos:
"Sea Wave." Used by
Morrow Anita
&
Company,
E. Posey:
Inc.
"When
All the World's Asleep." Reprinted by permission of Anita E. Posey.
permission of the author. First
appeared
in
Ranger Rick magazine
in
April 1980, published by the National Wildlife Federation. Secondly appeared
The Sea Is Calling Me, by Lee Bennett Hopkins (ed.) in 1986; published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. in
Norma Anchin Untermeyer: "Questions at Night," from Rainbow in the Sky. Copyright 1935 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Renewed 1963 by Louis Untermeyer. Reprinted by permission of Professional Publishing Services for
©
the author's estate.
Contents
Preface
The Wonder Why
Ah-Choo!
I
Grow
change
How
we
How
Keep on dreaming
can't
good
Why
— why do we do
feel
How
Why
"Sea Wave" is
did soil form?
Why
Simple
the Sky"
What happens
Why
if
are you
Simple Science:
How
How
How
can you clean
What happens
science:
"Questions at Night"
astronauts float?
What
do oceans and lakes have waves?
Space Wonders Simple Science:
do days get
do we have earthquakes?
the ocean floor like?
an ocean?
Why
Mighty mountains:
do volcanoes erupt?
Why
50
"Maui Tames the Sun"
does a volcano erupt?
What
it?
the earth spin?
you keep on digging? here?
Simple Science:
does hair keep growing?
Earth Wonders
we
dirt?
my shadow
does moisture change your hair?
longer and shorter? is
does
"Hide and Seek Shadow"
Simple Science:
Why
why we have them
Why
do shadows change?
to
How come
sneeze?
Freckles?"
size?
Down
10
Freckles and
I'm ticklish?
"Can
do
of Me!
to oil in
water?
104
Why
does the sky look blue?
does sunlight separate?
"Why
the
What's an eclipse?
Why
do
Sun and the Moon Live Simple Science:
can the moon block out the sun?
Is
in
How
anyone out there?
Weather Wonders Why
132
do clouds look different?
Why
Year"
"Rainbows"
is it
The true
tornadoes: Be alert!
Frost on the
story of rainbows
Simple Science:
Any new news about are fossils
Little lanterns:
orb web?
How
made?
How
How
in the
Seasons
some places? Hurricanes and do winds change?
"When
Museum"
Simple Science: All the World's Asleep"
do fireflies light up?
Why
Simple Science:
Where
Bug
noise:
What
don't spiders get stuck in
How
does a spider spin an
are the baby squirrels and pigeons?
can animals hibernate so long?
All Winter"
raining?
made?
172
dinosaurs?
crickets chirp?
their webs?
is it
window
"To the Skeleton of a Dinosaur
makes
rain
is
hotter or colder in
Wondrous Creatures
How
How
"Why There Are Four
Thunder and lightning in the
Why
"Clouds"
Simple Science:
snowing? hailing?
How
can fish breathe?
"Why Do
the Bear Sleeps
fish ever sleep?
Green Wonders Where do
208
What makes wild What is bark for? Simple Science:
Why
does
"Wild Strawberries"
Why do some flowers smell sweet? How does water travel up plants?
Answers
to "I
Books
Read
to
How
don't trees die in winter?
plants wild?
Mold: Plant or animal?
New Words Illustration
Index
Simple Science:
the leaves go?
composting work?
"Is It Alive?"
Wonder What This
Is."
245
247
Acknowledgments
251
250
242
Editorial Advisory for Childcraft-The
Board
How and Why
Chairman, William H. Nault, Ed.D., Litt.D.
General Chairman, Editorial Advisory
D
Library
Keith Osborn, Ph.D.
Special Editorial Advisor
Professor of Child Development,
Alvine Belisle
University of Georgia
Ecole de Bibliotheconomie,
Boards, World Book, Inc.
Universite de Montreal
Kay
E. Vandergrift, Ed.D.
Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
The publisher wishes
Professor of Early Childhood Education
School of Communication, Information,
Heltne, President of the Chicago
and Director, ERIC Clearing House on Elementary and Early
and Library Studies, Rutgers University
Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
to
thank Dr. Paul
of Sciences, Chicago, Illinois,
for his gracious assistance in
the manuscript of /
Childhood Education, University of
Academy
reviewing
Was Wondering:
Head, General Pediatrics,
and Ms. Lisa Hofman and students at Pritchett Elementary School in Buffalo
Department of
Grove,
Steven Waskerwitz, M.D. Pediatrics,
Illinois, for their
enthusiastic
Allegheny General Hospital,
assistance in testing the Simple Science
Pittsburgh
activities.
Art
Production
Staff Publisher William H. Nault Art Director
Editorial Editor in Chief
Roberta
Dimmer
Wilma Stevens Designer Donna Cook
Anne
Staff Editor
Amy
Valerie Nelson-Metlay
Associate Editor
Moses
Permissions Editor Janet
T
Peterson
Proofreaders Dillon
Marguerite Hoye
Contributing Artists Kenneth Izzi Mary-Ann Lupa Sandy Newell
Anne M. O'Malley
Stack, Director
Production Control Joann Seastrom
Assistant Art Director
Robert O. Zeleny
Executive Editor Dominic J. Miccolis
Pre-Press Services J. J.
Lucy Smith Ann Tomasic Brenda Tropinski
Daniel
J.
Marotta
Manufacturing Sandra Van den Broucke, Director Eva Bostedor, Assistant Manager
Research Services Mary Norton, Director Lynn Durbin
Index Services Bea Bertucci, Head
Production Artists Kelly Shea Doherty
Lesley Martin
Joyce Goldenstern
Penelope Nichols
Cheryl Prihoda
Writers
Andrew Chaikin Theresa Kryst Fertig Anita Cross Friedman Kathleen F Kain
Frances Fu
Loranne Shields
Photography Director John
S.
Marshall
Photographs Editor Geralyn Swietek
—
Preface Have you ever wondered where snowf lakes come from, or how spiders spin webs, or why earthquakes happen? Have you ever wondered
what makes your hair grow or why you're ticklish?
Wonders are everywhere, and
finding out about
them
fun!
is
This book takes a look at wondering.
Mainly,
it
answers
many
of the questions
that children like you ask.
poems show the funny
The
folk tales
The
stories
and
side of wondering.
show what imagination people
brought to their wondering questions long ago.
The "simple
science" activities help you
answer some wondering questions through experiments.
Look around you. Ask some questions.
Read and enjoy the book. Most of all keep on wondering!
The Wonder of Me!
Ah-Choo!
Why Do We Sneeze? Are you a loud sneezer or a sneezer?
Do you sneeze only
twice, or
many
quiet, dainty
once, sometimes
times in a row? Different
people sneeze in different ways. Doctors don't really
know why. Some say
it's
probably just habit. But one thing certain
is
—everyone sneezes. Have you ever
wondered why?
A
sneeze
is
a reflex.
It is
something your
body does that you can't control. happens. But
it
happens
It
just
for a reason.
A
sneeze protects you.
Getting ready for a sneeze!
^^
i
Your nose and lungs produce a liquid called
sticky
mucus. Mucus covers the walls
of your nasal cavity
—that
is,
the tunnel
behind your nose. Mucus serves an important purpose. Because
it is
sticky,
it
helps trap dust and dirt that you breathe in before
it
When
can get to your lungs. this dust
and
dirt collects
and
bothers the inside of your nose, you sneeze.
Germs and
bacteria, a certain smell,
smoke
from chimneys, or fumes from cars can also bother your nose. People with hay fever are often bothered by pollen or other tiny bits of
matter, called particles, from trees, grass,
and flowers. These
particles,
though you
can't see them, float through the air
and
13
That's better.
Sneezes help keep and germs away.
dirt
N you breathe them
in.
When you
have a
cold,
the Hning of your nose and lungs swells and
makes more mucus than
usual. This
swelling can be irritating to your nose, too.
Whatever the
cause, the tiny nerves in
your nose sense that something
is
wrong and
they send a message to the brain. The brain tells fill
your body to take a deep breath and
your lungs with
part of the sneeze.
air.
That's the aaaah
Then your
chest muscles
squeeze your chest very hard, sending a blast of air
up from your lungs and out of
your nose and mouth. That's the choo part.
The
dust, dirt, or other irritating particles
are blown out of your nose with the
14
air.
V
A
sneeze
your body's way of getting rid of
is
whatever
bothering your nose.
is
The explosion of air that forms a sneeze is
very powerful. The air
may
burst out of
your nose and mouth at a speed of about 100 miles (160 kilometers) an hour. Long ago,
people thought sneezing was a sign that the
sneezer was in danger, perhaps of dying. That's
how
the saying "God bless you"
began.
Now we know
that sneezes are not
dangerous, but spreading germs from a sneeze
is
not exactly healthful, either. So
remember
to cover
your nose and mouth the
next time your nose "explodes." Your family
and anyone
and
friends,
will
be grateful!
/
your path,
r
'
^s*^
else in
-—
—'—
fltg:
^
u>-
15
How Come I'm Ticklish? Where
are you most ticklish?
Under your
arms? Around your middle? Maybe the bottom of your all,
feet?
You're not ticklish at
you say? Some people claim they aren't
ticklish.
Maybe they
are just better at
concentrating and not laughing than the rest of us.
Did you ever wonder giggling
when someone
why you
can't help
gently moves their
fingers on your body? Doctors and scientists don't completely understand tickling. But
they do have some ideas about
"She'd better stop that tickling soon!
16
it.
There are very fine nerve endings that just beneath the surface of the skin.
lie
These
nerve endings are sensitive to the lightest of touches, such as a feather or a tiny
bug
crawling up your arm. These are the nerves
make you feel an itch or a tickle. You will usually start laughing when someone tickles you. Some experts think reason you laugh when you're tickled is that
the
17
Nerve endings can
make you
laugh!
more
your mind than on your skin. Have
in
you ever started
to
laugh before your tickler
even touched you? Sometimes just the waiting and knowing that those tickling
make you giggle. tickled too much? It's not
'"dingers are approaching
Do you ever get so much fun then. If your brother or sister, for instance, won't stop when you ask, the tickling can almost become painful. Some doctors believe that tickling
is
only pleasant
as long as you trust your tickler. So beware all
you
overdo!
18
ticklers:
keep
it
fun and don't
Just Wondering
Why
Can't
A good
question!
either.
If
you
your tickle
I
Tickle Myself?
No one
try to tickle
will
knows the answer, yourself, you know where really
land and that takes the surprise out.
That's one idea. But experimenters found that even
when people knew when and where a tickle would come, most of them still laughed when someone e/se tickled them.
you have all the it's not so much of an "attack" by someone else. The excitement of trying to get away
you try control, and If
to tickle yourself
or stopping the tickling isn't there.
excitement,
we
just don't laugh.
What do you
..'-it-v.-
•
-.
X
•
think?
And without the
Freckles and
Why We Have Them Every summer, Curtis wins the
freckle-
counting contest at his neighborhood
He
loves the stuffed animal
and the
pizza coupons that are his prize.
not love the freckles
"They make he complained.
them?"
When
tried to scrub
—
all
fair.
free
But he does
243 of them.
me look like a pet puppy," "Why can't I get rid of
Curtis was
much
them away.
It
younger, he
didn't work.
"Freckles are part of your skin color," his
dad explained. "You have them because
I
have them. That means they're hereditary (huh REHD uh ter
"You
ee)."
don't have
them now,"
replied
Curtis.
"No, not as many, but
was your
age,"
Dad
I
when I "When people
used to
explained.
get to be about 20 years old, they usually stop getting freckles.
You have
a checkup
with Doctor Phillips next week. Maybe he
can
tell
you more about
Curtis learned
freckles."
some interesting things
about freckles from the doctor. First of
all,
everyone's skin
makes a
substance called melanin (mehl uh nihn).
Melanin
20
is
the brown pigment or coloring
that determines the color of your skin.
Darker-skinned people have more melanin
than lighter-skinned people. The amount of
melanin each person has
is
set
by heredity.
uo you use sunscreen or sun block lotions on your skin? They protect you from the sun's most harmful rays.
22
That means
it
was passed
to
you from your
parents before you were born. In
some
people, melanin
is
not spread out
evenly over the skin but rather builds up in
These spots are
spots.
freckles. Freckles are
just patches of skin that
have more melanin
than the rest of your skin. Freckles most often show up on your face,
hands, and arms. This
is
probably because
these parts of your body are most often
touched by sunlight. The sun causes your
make more melanin.
skin to
That's
how you
get suntanned. But, if you have freckles, the
sun
will also increase the
become
melanin spots that
freckles. Usually, people
freckles are very light skinned easily.
with
and don't tan
Their freckles increase while the rest
of their skin stays light.
"That's
why
I
have more freckles
summertime," Curtis
in the
said.
"That's right," Doctor Phillips replied.
"You could stay out of the sun some
to prevent
freckles."
"Mom always makes me use sun block protect my skin from the sun," Curtis announced. "But there's no way stay out of the sun during
out on too
much
I
want
summer.
I'd
to
to
miss
fun. Besides, I'm getting to
like free pizza."
23
•
•I-
%••*«-
"
•«
•'•
»••••
'•.»•• -.^••.
^ •-•-7'.
«•.«"'•*•»•»"••«
Can I Grow Freckles? adapted from Freckle Juice, by Judy Blume
Andrew Marcus wanted freckles, just like Nicky Lane, who sat in front of him in school. Day after day, Andrew would try to count the freckles on the back of Nicky s neck. He could stop doing this and concentrate better in school and maybe his mother wouldn't make him wash his neck so often if he just had his own freckles!
—
sst
.
.
.
I
—
know how
Sharon whispered class filed out of the
to get freckles," to
Andrew
room one
as the
day. Sharon
had heard Andrew ask Nicky about where his freckles
know how
came from. "Do you want
to get
to
them?"
"Maybe," Andrew told her. "It'll
cost
you
fifty cents. I
have a secret
recipe for freckle juice," Sharon whispered.
"A secret recipe?" "Uh huh." "But you don't even have freckles!"
Andrew
continued.
"Look 24
my
close,"
nose."
Sharon
said. "I've got six
on
"I
"Big deal!
A
lot of
good
six'll
do."
many as you want. It depends on how much freckle juice you "You can
get as
all
drink."
Andrew
didn't believe
Sharon
for a
minute. But that night he kept thinking
about the freckle
juice.
Maybe
the reason no
one in his family had freckles was because
no one knew the secret even heard of freckle
juice,
they have any freckles? like the idea of
It
then how could
figured!
He
didn't
paying Sharon for anything.
But he decided that
if
work, he'd ask for his easy.
never
recipe. If they
the recipe didn't
money
back.
It
was
J
•
"*•-"- >.«*--«
.AlJt.
The next day the
after school,
way home. The
juice
was folded
his shoe.
his
mind not
he got home. Dashing
door,
he
to read
••••
* *
,
Vm
it
to the front
'•'
•
"••
rf
•
himself in and took off his shoe
as soon as he secret recipe it.
»
all
carefully in the bottom of
until
read
• • # • •
secret recipe for freckle
He made up let
Andrew ran
i^.^_Sa.aS
was and
inside.
sat
He
',
• •
•
.
pulled out the
down on the
floor to
It said:
• >
# « •
•
«
•
•«
• • •
•
\-
V'.
'.'1
•
*.
«
'X
• . • .
:::'-•!'
Andrew read the list twice. It didn't sound like much of a secret recipe. Well, he'd paid fifty cents. out,
He might
••
•
!
as well find
and he only had an hour before
mother would be home.
•
i
his 27
• » •
• •
-
•
•
,
•
#
•
•
••
•
* " •
I«
climbed up on Andrew chmbed
the kitchen
counter so he could reach the cabinets.
found everything except the lemon
was
in the refrigerator
Marcus kept onions bin.
He
—that
%"
••
•
•• •
•
•
•
•
,