Inthishilariousstoryaboutacoupleofclevermiceonaquestforatastytreat,readersgeta“paws-on“introductiontosixsimplemachines.GingerandMacareprosatsnatchingupdelicioustidbitsandbringingthembacktotheircozymouseholetoeat.Today,though,theirmissioniscomplicated.Theirtargetisanespeciallyaromaticvanillacupcakewithpinkbuttercreamfrosting.Only,it’s(a)toobigforthemtocarry,(b)onahighcounterwithinleapingdistanceofboththeresidentcatanddogand(c)underaheavyglasscakedome.Luckily,thesemicelovenothingmorethansolvingachallengingproblem(exceptmaybeeatingbuttercreamfrosting!).Gingerissuretheycanusesimplemachinestogetthejobdone.Butissheright?BambiEdlundhascreatedafunwaytoteachchildrenaboutthebasicconceptsofmechanicalphysics.GingerandMac’sadventurestoryistoldinpanelswithdialogueboxes,whilethesciencebehindhowsimplemachinesworkisexplainedthroughoutthestoryinfullyillustratedsectionsthatneverinterrupttheflowofthenarrative.Theresultisahighlyentertainingbookthatgivesreadersaclearandeasy-to-understandoverviewofthesixsimplemachines-inclinedplane,lever,pulley,wheelandaxle,screw,andwedge-andhowtheymakelifeeasier.It’ssuretoinspirereaderstosearchforexamplesofsimplemachinesthatexistallaroundthem.Withloadsofhands-onactivitiesthatcanbedoneathomeorintheclassroom,thisisanexcellentchoiceforteachingelementaryphysicsandengineering.
