Michael A. DiSpezio's Books

These totally awesome, kid-friendly experiments teach the scientific basics of light and sound.

Top science author Michael DiSpezio devises some bright fun to show kids exactly how their brain, nerves, and senses work. Entertaining, informative, and all in color, this varied collection of great brain tricks, experiments, puzzles, quizzes, and activities provides a cool road map to exploring the most awesome part of the body. Every point is made in a wonderfully clear and clever way, whether DiSpezio has children create a simple model of the brain by cupping both hands, or suggests easy-to-understand comparisons (a thinking human brain uses about the same amount of power as a glowing 60-watt bulb). From an outline of the brain’s major regions and a look at animal brains to creativity rules and memory tests, every detail is illuminating.

Easy to duplicate, [these experiments] demonstrate the intended principles and encourage critical thinking.

What a bargain! At more than 700 puzzle-packed pages, this huge, value-priced collection should keep any solver happy...and busy for a very long time. It contains brain-busting challenges of almost every type: math logic problems for the numerically inclined; absolutely amazing lateral thinking conundrums; really great critical thinking bafflers; and mind-boggling word puzzles. Here's just a small sample of what's inside: The 22nd and 24th presidents of the United States had the same mother and the same father, but were not brothers. How could this be so? Stumped? That's because it's one man--Grover Cleveland--who was reelected after skipping a term. And that's just an easy warm-up!

These simple, fun experiments in magnetism and electricity will get kids all charged up.

Kids can be both scientists and magicians--all at once! With just a little practice, and these 50 super experiments, they’ll amaze people with fool-the-eye illusions that also illustrate basic principles of visual perception. They’re amazingly cool, too, featuring tricks of motion; distortions of length and size; tilts, twists, and topsy-turvies that give a new slant on things; and fantastic flat-screen phantoms that play with illusions of depth.

Here are enough tough puzzles to test your mental powers for hours and hours. Try this never-ending array of puzzles, challenges, funky facts, things to build, weird riddles, and other conundrums. Some are old favorites that never fail to stump, others are totally new, but all promise hours of fun. Every one can be completed with a pencil, pen, or some inexpensive materials around the house. 96 pages, 105 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.

From the big bang to meteor showers, from moon phases to solar eclipses, this wonderfully lively introduction to astronomy is like an armchair rocket ship flying kids to the stars. Remarkably clear explanations of scientific concepts, enticing photos and illustrations, fascinating fun facts, and enjoyable activities make this book truly stellar.

Eighty puzzles. The answers are easy! But getting there is the hard part. Uncover connections and identify hidden relationships until suddenly the answers are appearing as if by magic. Solve situations on the moon, around an insect-eating plant and gold-record racing through space in the Voyager spacecraft. 96 pages, 100 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.

To introduce the science and magic of optical tricks, this book presents optical illusions and mind-boggling tricks that play with your perception, from creating your own anaglyphs to building a zootrope.

Can you imagine the mirror image of a given object, or the best way to connect a series of geometrical shapes? These tricky puzzlers will test your ability to do these things and more . . . and help you develop valuable mental skills. All the answers appear in the back.

Finish layouts, do tricky calculations, and solve the complex mysteries of visual designs. Take a scissors and try to duplicate a "mind-bending" curved design with just a few snips. For a change of pace, find the identity of 30 coins that equal $1.00. (25 pennies, 1 nickel, 2 dimes and 2 quarters.) Answers are in the back--in case you're tearing your hair out in frustration!

Optical illusions and visual stunts illustrate how the brain works.

- 48-page hardcover book with blister (12 1/4" 10 1/4")- 3D glasses- 2 pencils- mylar mirror- many other accessories to experience optical illusions

Learning geography will always be fun with the special tricks you'll learn here. Starting from familiar territory (home, backyard, schoolyard) and moving outwards, this amusing, delightfully illustrated introduction to maps and more teaches street smarts to kids. Filled to the brim with fun games, cool activities, humorous quizzes, and wacky facts, every page turns basic geography into an adventure. Build a model of an early compass to understand navigation--then head out to test your skills. Use the sun, moon, and the stars to get your bearings. Look at a map similar to the one Columbus might have used when he set out to prove the world was round. Hit the road with "a key to the highway" that provides information on tolls, the number of lanes, and other details. Figure out which route goes where. All in all, you'll have a delightful trip--and end up just where you want to be!

Exercise your mind to keep it in top shape by solving these tantalizingly tough, delightfully challenging, puzzles.

Presents a collection of optical illusions, with questions that challenge the viewer to decide whether seeing is believing.

Book's by Michael A. DiSpezio

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