Review - ABCs of Economics

ABCs of Economics
by Chris Ferrie & Veronica Goodman
illustrated by Chris Ferrie
Date: 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 26
Format: e-book
Source: library

Chris Ferrie's bestselling scientific series is expanding!

It only takes a small spark to ignite a child's mind! The ABCs of Economics introduces babies (and grownups!) to a new economic concept for each letter of the alphabet. From asymmetric, business cycle, and capital, all the way to zero sum. It's never too early to become an economist!

With scientific and mathematical information from an expert, this is the perfect book for enlightening the next generation of geniuses.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

It's never too early to become an economist? Um... I think it can be.

I laughed my way through this one. It's a board book about economic principles. Teach your toddlers about Keynesian Economics and Nash Equilibrium! Make sure your infant knows all about zero-sum situations. Seriously? This is one of those books that's aimed squarely at adults, a book they can leave out when their friends are over to signal how brilliant Junior is. Never mind that the baby would rather chew the thing than listen to anything that's between its covers.

Also, X is not for eXternalities. If you're aiming an alphabet book at an audience that doesn't even know the alphabet yet, don't confuse them.

I question the value of this even for older children. I found parts of it confusing as an adult. Formatting it as a board book limits the audience, too, as older kids will probably turn their noses up at it. This is for pretentious, virtue-signalling parents who want the world to know how special their baby is. Really, though, they're probably the only ones who will get anything out of the book.

Premise: 1/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.83 out of 5

Review - Climate Change for Babies

Climate Change for Babies
by Chris Ferrie & Katherina Petrou
illustrated by Chris Ferrie
Date: 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks Explore
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

A colorfully simple explanation of the science behind climate change, from the #1 science author for kids

Climate Change for Babies is an engaging, basic introduction for youngsters (and grownups!) to the complex questions of what climate change is and what we can do about it. Full of scientific information and written by experts, this timely installment of the Baby University board book series is perfect for enlightening the next generation of geniuses. After all, it's never too early to become a scientist!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Talk about a marketing fail. A non-fiction title teaching babies about climate change is laughable enough. Babies don't care about climate change. Babies shouldn't care about climate change. (Nobody's allowed to just be a kid anymore!) The title, however, might end up pushing this book into the dreaded bargain bin, where unwanted books go to die. The only audience I can see for this is adults who want to engage in some virtue-signalling. Babies won't get anything out of it. Older children will avoid it like the plague because it's "for babies"; it says so right on the cover. (And, speaking of the cover, I thought the planet was wearing a medical mask for a moment. It's supposed to be a pacifier, but that's not very clear... especially since it's blue. Since the Earth is often regarded as female, a pink pacifier might have made more sense and wouldn't have been as easily confused with a mask.)

As for the actual content, it'll either be viewed as a simple introduction to climate-change theory or a piece of board-book propaganda. It's super simple, basically blaming cow farts and cars for climate change, and then telling kids they can help by riding the bus and planting trees. (Funny how livestock is always mentioned as part of the problem but never part of the solution.)

Anyway, I just can't get past the obvious virtue-signalling this book is doing. Textbooks for babies? Give me a break.

Premise: 1/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1.33 out of 5