Madeline Hayes makes the slippery world of physics incredibly fun in Why Do Liquids Slip and Slide?. Part of the Why? science series, this book takes the "everyday" and turns it into a fascinating exploration of molecules and states of matter.

The Highlights:
Simple Explanations: It breaks down complex concepts like surface tension and viscosity into bite-sized, kid-friendly ideas.

Engaging Visuals: The illustrations are bright and helpful, acting as a great visual aid for the "slippery" science being described.

Encourages Curiosity: It turns a simple spilled glass of water into a learning moment, perfect for inquisitive young minds.

Why 4 Stars: It’s an excellent primer for the K-2 age group, though kids on the older end of the spectrum might find the info a bit light. Still, it’s a wonderful tool for sparking an early interest in STEM.

A cute but thorough discussion of the states of matter for mid- to late elementary students. I liked the graphics, illustration style, and whimsical writing style. In particular, I really liked the bridge graphic illustrating the all the changes in states of matter what each of those steps are called. I've never seen one like that before! I appreciated the attempts to engage young readers by counting and matching, but they might feel a bit childish for older children.

Read this with my kindergartener and I was worried it would be above her comprehension level. While some of the scientific parts were a little confusing to her, she loved the interactive aspects of each page. She’d count the ice cubes, tell me what happened when chocolate melted, and giggled at the full elevator. What a fun way to explain matter!

Why Do Liquids Slip and Slide? by Madeline Hayes, illustrated by Jayri Gomez, is a friendly children’s nonfiction introduction to the different states of matter.

The science concepts are clearly explained and paired with simple visuals that make the ideas accessible to young readers. The illustrations lean toward playful rather than realistic—many of the objects have little faces—which keeps the tone light and approachable while still helping explain what’s happening.

I especially liked the interactive elements throughout the book. There are small questions that encourage kids to pause and think about the science being discussed, and the glossary at the end is a nice addition for reinforcing new vocabulary.

As an intermediate science teacher, this is exactly the kind of book I like to have available in my classroom library. It’s the sort of resource students can pick up out of curiosity and actually learn something from, especially during a unit on matter.

Younger readers could certainly enjoy this with an adult helping guide them, but I think it would work best for later elementary students who are starting to explore science concepts a little more independently.

Thank you to Flowerpot Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book.

Perfect read for STEM lessons! As a homeschool mom, this is perfect for my little guy. The illustrations make it fun and easy! Definitely a must read.

Why Do Liquids Slip and Slide is a children's nonfiction resource book. It discusses all states of matter. The illustrations aren't super realistic (everything has a face), but it explains things clearly with an image. It also has some interactive components/questions and a glossary which would help keep kids engaged. I think this would be better suited for later elementary kids or younger kids with adult support.

Thanks to Flowerpot Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.