You wouldn't want to live without clean water!

In addition to explaining Earth's limited supply of clean water and its vital importance, this high-spirited, colorful volume discusses matters such as why your body needs fresh water and how people can conserve it. Exaggerated and often comical, the many digital pictures are useful in illustrating terms and will attract readers and help engage them with the ideas presented in the text. One particularly effective spread asks, How Big Is Your Water Footprint? While the captions supply relevant factoids (for example, from farm to factory to fork, it takes 164 gallons of water to put a pound of spaghetti on the table), the pictures show adults and kids looking askance at the everyday products they're eating, drinking, wearing, and using. A lively addition to the You Wouldn't Want to Live Without . . . series.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist

Gr 5-8-Modern-day conveniences, such as cell phones and toilets, and the ingenious ways that people in the past made do without them are explored in this engaging series. Filled with bite-size facts and humorous, cartoon illustrations, the books take readers on a journey through history, showing them how science and technology have made life easier, safer, and more comfortable. Time lines chart the inventions' major developments and discoveries, providing a solid background for each subject, while brief yet interesting historical examples will appeal to even the most reluctant reader. The "ick" factor and potty humor in Toilets and Antibiotics are sure to entertain many, and interactive elements, such as the hands-on activities in "You Can Do It!," encourage experimentation and critical thinking. The books are packed with so much information that the lack of a pronunciation guide in the glossary can certainly be overlooked. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.