Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers / Mary Roach / 303 pages

Bonus category: Audiobook

Not for the faint of stomach!

Mary Roach is the master of really digging in and approaching a subject from every angle--this time with corpses. It may seem like a strange subject for a book, but most adults in my acquaintance have thought about death at some point in their lives, as well as what they may or may not want done with their bodies after the fact.

Roach divides her chapters by different methods of body "disposal." She discusses bodies that have been donated to science and various scientific studies that need to use a human body for accurate testing--anatomy, decomposition, crash injuries, and more. Then she writes about the history of these studies and others. There's even some information about differences between cultures and variations on the memorial ritual. Lastly, Roach discusses some advances that have been made in the field of ecologically-improved burial methods, as well as her thoughts and decisions on what she wants done with her own body when she dies.

As I said before, Stiff is not for the squeamish. It's very detailed, and even I had trouble eating breakfast while listening to the chapter on decomposition studies. But it gave me a lot to think about and a well-rounded viewpoint on why donated corpses are needed for scientific studies. If you're a science buff or even just vaguely fascinated in studies on the human body, this book is for you!

George's Secret Key to the Universe / Lucy & Stephen Hawking / 297 pages

     Yes, this book is by the daughter of Stephen Hawking. It is the first in a series of books about George, his friend Annie, her father Eric, and Cosmos, the most powerful computer in the world.  The story is realistic fantasy as they will travel through space through the computer's portal.  This allows the reader to learn facts and concepts about space and physics.  The story also includes a "bad guy" and some bullies.  It's slightly reminiscent of Harry Potter even though it's totally different.  The illustrations really struck me as the first illustration of George is a black and white pencil drawing of a slender boy with spiky hair and a small scarf around his neck.  I felt deja vu and didn't know if it was a nod to Le Petit Prince or Dr. Who.  (The astronaut picture on the cover made me think of Curious George)
     As a bonus, this book is filled with side bars of facts about the sun, stars, planets, mass, and much more.  There are also full color photos of planets, nebulas, and galaxies.  Any kid who loves facts and stories will be thrilled by what they can get in this book.  ....and this is only book 1.  There are sequels! Science kids will love it.

Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age / W. Bernard Carlson / 500 p.

This book is for the TRUE science geek. It is interesting to learn about society's fascination with science at the end of the 19th century. Electricity was an exciting thing! Quite a few scientists were competing to find the ways to harness and use electricity for power and for communication. And there is no doubt that Tesla was a genius. But for most of us, the endless pages of intricate descriptions of exactly how all of this works meant lots of scanning and that detracted from the biography o...more This book is for the TRUE science geek. It is interesting to learn about society's fascination with science at the end of the 19th century. Electricity was an exciting thing! Quite a few scientists were competing to find the ways to harness and use electricity for power and for communication. And there is no doubt that Tesla was a genius. But for most of us, the endless pages of intricate descriptions of exactly how all of this works meant lots of scanning and that detracted from the biography of the man. And, unfortunately, despite Tesla's genius he left much undone because of some quirks in his personality. This is why the name Edison has always overshadowed Tesla.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks/Rebecca Skloot/358 pgs.

First of all, I had no idea what HeLa cells are, and the impact they have made on medical research. That being said, this was one of the most interesting books I have ever read. It is the story of Henrietta Lacks whose cells are the HeLa  cells (He=Henrietta, La=Lacks). Skloot takes the reader through Henrietta's life, and those of her family and their reaction to the use of Henrietta's cells for research. The reader watches the evolution, and some questionable practices, involved in medical research. Ethical questions arise about the use of a person's cells or tissues without the person's informed consent. This review doesn't do the book justice--it is truly fascinating and very timely.

The Mighty Mars Rover: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity/Elizabeth Rusch/75 pages

On June 10, 2003, a little rover named Spirit blasted off on a rocket headed for Mars. On July 7, 2003, a twin rover named Opportunity soared through the solar system with the same mission: to find out if Mars ever had water that could have supported life.A thrilling addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, The Mighty Mars Rovers tells the greatest space robot adventure of all time through the eyes—and heart—of Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University and lead scientist on the mission.

The Mighty Mars Rover: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity was listed in ALA Notable Books for Children in 2012 and was named one of the Top Ten Science and Health Books for Youth 2012 (Booklist)