Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day
By Mandie Caroll,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Funny, STEM-inspired story about reaction contraptions.
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Based on 1 parent review
A fun intro to Rube Goldberg with wonderful illustrations.
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What's the Story?
In RUBE GOLDBERG'S SIMPLE NORMAL HUMDRUM SCHOOL DAY, young Rube has created an invention for each of 14 mundane daily tasks. Each key element of the contraption is represented in the text and illustration by a corresponding letter of the alphabet, so that readers can follow the progression of the task. In "An easy way to get dressed," for example, "Rube slides down RAILING (A) into pants and sneakers, landing on a BELLOWS (B), which blasts puff of air onto SLEEPING CAT (C)," who leaps off the scale it was asleep on, and so forth. There's a system to delay the school bus, one that helps Rube sneak into class late, one that protects him from baby-brother-thrown food at the dinner table, and so much more. When he finally goes to bed, a pull-out spread reveals the past and future inventions Rube is dreaming about. An end page has resources for classroom use.
Is It Any Good?
This funny book, with diagram-like text, cartoonish illustrations, and integrated STEM concepts, is likely to be popular with young readers who like to invent. Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day sure does manage to make the boring more interesting, with often hilarious results. See the toast sliding down a butter-soaked sling chair for Rube to catch on his way out the door or the goat whose head-bobbing while cashew-munching pokes holes in a sandbag that then sets a pulley system into motion as it lightens. Some readers may be baffled about why these inventions exist, but that's what makes them funny. The fact that there are no consequences for Rube's mess-making, sneaking into class late or not really doing his homework might prompt some discussion with young inventors about how they will be responsible for their creations. All in all, any book that could get kids to give STEM-based activities a shot is a good one to have on hand.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the machines in Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day. What do you think about how Rube gets things done? Are they funny? If so, why? Who should clean up all his messes?
How do the illustrations add to the experience of reading this book? Could this book work without pictures? Why or why not?
How are science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) ideas behind Rube's inventions? Can you identify where he might have needed to use math or science concepts to create a working machine?
Book Details
- Author: Jennifer George
- Illustrator: Ed Steckley
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: STEM, Adventures, Great Boy Role Models, Science and Nature
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
- Publication date: August 27, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 5 - 7
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: October 30, 2020
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