Build Your Own Chain Reaction Machines

So much to love about this book. It's easy to understand, the layout is clear and the directions are easy to follow. In reality, the machines are not necessarily that "useful" because most of them complete tasks that we can easily do on our own, but I love how fun it makes building a machine to take on a task. The instructions in this title are clear and laid out step by step, they use common materials and tips for successful building are also shared.

I can see many students enjoying this book as well as being a good resource for classes exploring a unit on simple machines.

Wow, all kinds of great ideas to make fun machines out of simple ever day materials. Can't wait to try our some of these projects with kids at our library Makerspace. This is an ideal resource for anyone interested in makerspace and tinkering. I particularly loved the DIY tools section. Useful ideas to help make you projects.

Subtitled "How to Make Crazy Contraptions Using Everyday Stuff--Creative Kid-Powered Projects!" this book is ideal for the kid who loves to tinker and invent. Using cardboard, mostly, with a few other items, some tools, a bit of glue, and the ability to measure, cut, and follow instructions closely, your boy or girl can build some amusing, entertaining and educational toys, and more than likely come up with their own future inventions using the skills learned here.

The book opens with a section on the essential tools, techniques, and mechanisms you will need or need to know in order to embark upon these projects. Three subsections cover basic tools, DIY tools, and basic techniques. This is only ten pages and filled with photographs, so no worries there. Once through that, you get to start your projects.

The first section of these is titled 'machines for your Room' such as a door knocker, a door opener, and a light-switcher. There are three more such sections covering machines for around the house (water your plants? Squeeze your toothpaste?), machines for fun and nonsense (launch a marble? make music?), and machines for food (vending machine, candy dispenser), so there's a lot of different projects you can undertake - assuming you have enough cardboard...and the determination to get it done!

I thought this was a fun, safe, and relatively cheap way to provide educational entertainment for your kid and I commend this book.

Oh, ho, ho!!Every kid ought to own this book! It should be in every home with kids! 11 and up will get a kick out of building these contraptions. The directions are clear and materials should be available in most homes, or can be gotten pretty cheaply. Kids (and maybe parents!) will have a lot of fun making these cool creations. Kids have no reason to be bored this summer with this book!
Adding it to my library's book suggestion list.

This is a fun book to have lying around at home for all those rainy days, or all those days of 'I-am-bored'. This book is filled with tons of (well, feels that way!) ideas to make contraptions inspired by the very original, very imaginative, very innovative Rube Goldberg.

I recall reading about Rube Goldberg in a children's fiction book a few years earlier, and have since then been fascinated by what he conjured up. My son's interest in many of the more tech-driven contraptions he builds today as a high-schooler also STEMmed from the same children's book! So thank you Rube Goldberg.. and thank you to Paul Long for this DIY Chain Reaction Machines book that will introduce Rube and his contraptions to many more.

The book starts off with an initial chapter that includes the basic list of materials and tools needed for the included projects, along with additional DIY tools that you can build to use later. It also includes tips and techniques that will make it easier to work on these crazy contraptions!

The later sections are divided by themed contraptions - for kids to use in their rooms - like their very own door knocker; to use around the house - like a toothpaste squeezer; and fun contraptions for food or just for pure fun (music, anyone?).

I love the details included for each contraption - the list of materials and tools needed for that project with photos to help, followed by detailed step by step instructions with photps to show the progress for each step so we can follow along easily, and ending with how to use this wonderful contraption you built!

Additional resources - books and links for more information and inspiration - are included at the end for endless hours of creative STEM building.

I love how the science behind the machines are explained for each of them so it is not just play but loads of learning too! I know I will be getting a copy for myself as I did not have time to try building the contraptions fully before the ARC expired. A half-complete Rube Goldberg though looks impressive is not really display worthy yet..

The only con I see is that an adult or older teen will be needed to help at every stage to ensure a successful contraption for each of these, but otherwise, this one guarantees hours of learning hidden in play!

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of the book. All opinions are my honest opinions of the book

Written for curious kids of all ages, this book is a one stop shop for all you gadget building needs. Explaining tools and engineering, it grabs the attention with detailed, step by step photographs. Cardboard and red Silo cups get a new life constructing Rube Goldbergs to do anything from turning on a light to squeezing toothpaste tubes. If you love mousetrap, you need this book.