Children's Science Book Database

when ruby tried to grow candy

This book allows students to observe a few of the stages when growing something and observing the final product. It allows students to communicate their noticing’s found in the book, and students could predict after certain pages about what would happen next or what they would expect to happen.when ruby tried to grow candy
  • Author: Valorie Fisher
  • Year Published: 2008
  • ISBN: 978-0-375-84015-9

Science Topics

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

Summary

Ruby visits here neighbors house and discovers that she grows a variety of things. For example mixers, playing cards, candy, shoes and etc. Ruby becomes fascinated and decides to plant some jelly beans. She waters the plant and makes sure it has sunlight. After some time she discovers that her jelly beans have grown into licorice.

Evaluation

  • Appropriateness: Medium
  • Authority: Medium
  • Accuracy: Low
  • Liteary Artistry: Medium
  • Appearance: Medium

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

This book allows students to observe a few of the stages when growing something and observing the final product. It allows students to communicate their noticing’s found in the book, and students could predict after certain pages about what would happen next or what they would expect to happen.

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

Even though the book does not provide factual science information it does provide students opportunities to ask and answer their own questions about this books content and pictures. For example, who is the lady next door, will anything that she plants grows, what will grow when she plants the jelly beans etc.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

This book allows children to somewhat think for themselves, but it is not the most factual and education information. The students can think about if candy can really grow, do shies grow on trees, what is needed to grow something and how often do plants need to be watered.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

The book is about growing things like candy, shoes, mixers and etc. These things of course cannot actually grow when they are planted in the ground as shown in the book. They do briefly discuss the things needed when planting and growing something in the ground like water and sunlight. These are essential things, but the idea that objects and candy can be grown is silly and false.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

No the content is not based on scientific principals and is not accurate. Candy, shoes, watering buckets, cards, frying pans, buttons, and mixers cannot be grown on trees, bushes, or in soil like showed in the book. The book does talk about how water and sunlight is needed to grow things, just not the things showed a discussed in the book.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The book does not distinguish between fact and fiction. There are some facts like plating things in soil and water and sunlight being needed in order to grow things. There are also fiction things like growing candy and shoes, but it does not state which information is actually fact or fiction.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations in the book are bright, eye catching, colorful, but not always accurate. The image of shoes growing on trees and candy growing from soil is not possible. There are some images of flowers growing on trees and bushes, which is factual. There are also images of the Ruby watering plants and digging with a shovel when planting which is true but what she is planting and watering is not something that can be grown.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

I am in a second grade classroom and I think that most of the students in that class would be able to read this book. The vocabulary is mostly age appropriate, but I am just not sure if they have seen these words before to be able to know how to pronounce them. They would all be able to understand this book if it was read to them. There are some figures of speech in the book that might need to be discussed before in order for them to understand them.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

The book is free some stereotyping, but there is not a multicultural component. Both of the characters are white females.

Is the book free from gender bias?

For the most part the book is free from gender bias. All of the book characters are all white females so there could be more diversity among sexes. The gardener in the book is a female, but I wouldn’t say that the book is stereotyping that only females garden.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

The book really only shows the science concept of planting and growing something, so I do not see any other disciplines in this book. I wish there was, but I did not find any.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

The book does not contain any type of technology. The book makes the concept of planting and growing something exciting, but it does not contain factual information. I think this book is fun and students would love it because its about growing candy and objects. I wouldn’t use this book to teach planting or the importance of sunlight and water. It could be used as a comparison to another book that contains factual information and students can point of the similarities and differences between the two books.