Stuff We Like: Budding Scientists

From an interactive book of animal x-rays with a built-in light box to a DIY science kit made by a kid for kids, the "Stuff We Like" for our March issue feature educational fun for any budding scientist.

X-Ray Vision

The Amazing X-Ray Series from Silver Dolphin Books is a fascinating exploration of not just the human body, but of even cooler creatures: pets and wild animals. Each book has a built-in light box and 16 acetate X-rays packed in a very official lab envelope. Curious readers can see beneath the skin, shells, and fur of elephants, tortoises, dogs,lizards, and more. How can a cheetah run so fast? What is a polar bear’s most important feature, and how does it help him sniff out prey? Kids learn the answers to such questions and discover the awe-inspiring ways that animals’ bones tell the stories of their lives. (Ages 8 and older; $19.95 per book; bn.com)

Stormy Skies Ahead?

Before the days of instantly accessible weather apps, people actually opened doors to gauge temps—remember that? In Explore Weather and Climate! 25 Great Projects, Activities, Experiments by Kathleen M. Reilly (ages 6-9; $12.95; bn.com) kids get the chance to make their own rainbows (and rain!), “grow” fog in a jar, learn about thundersnow, tornadoes, and more. Beyond garnering lots of valuable vocab words, they’ll also be armed with some fun trivia to share with friends (did you know the largest hailstone on record was eight inches across?).