Inner Workings

Ever wondered what hides inside a pocket watch or a firework? This STEM title for young readers slices everyday objects in half to show the parts that normally stay out of view. Each one is drawn as a bold cross-section, so readers can trace how familiar machines and structures work from the inside out.

The tour is wide-ranging. It opens up a merry-go-round, a golf ball, a beehive and a hornet nest, then moves through kitchen and household items such as a microwave, a coffee maker, a toaster, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a vacuum cleaner, a toilet, a tub, a shower and a fire hydrant. Amusement and game subjects include a carousel, a bowling alley, a billiard table, an air hockey table, a Rubik's cube and a gumball machine, while others cover a soft-serve machine, an ice cream machine, a vending machine, a typewriter, a calculator, a printer, locks, food and an art studio. An ant colony rounds out the list.

Written with budding inventors, engineers and scientists in mind, the book suits inquisitive readers who like to know how things are put together.