The Shocking Truth About Energy

This lively picture book stars Erg, a lightning bolt of “pure energy.” Erg shares how energy gets transferred into different forms (the fuel a boy gains from eating a hot dog, the coal that makes electricity), describes the effects of global warming, and weighs the pros and cons of solar, wind, geothermal, and other powers. “Geothermal power is clean and works day and night in any weather,” but the “high underground temperatures needed for geothermal power plants are not available in many areas.” Personified automobiles and appliances communicate via speech balloons, as easy-to-follow flowcharts make a potentially abstract concept tangible. Ages 5–8. (May)