Have you ever wondered why trees drop their leaves in the fall, why the wind blows, or why ice floats? The answers to these and other common questions about the world around us can be found in Joel Levy’s Why? Answers to Everyday Scientific Questions.

Why? answers more than 50 questions in three broad categories: Nature and the Earth, the Human Body and Mind, and Physics and Space. While I found a few explanations to be a bit complicated, most give an explanation that young adults as well as adults will find easy to understand. When the science is unsettled on certain matters, Levy says so. For instance, in the section titled, Why Do We Sleep?, Levy starts with the explanation, “We sleep to recharge our energy and give our brains breathing room so they can rewire themselves.” As he goes on to further explain, he says, “At least, this is the dominant theory right now.”

While all the questions are interesting and the answers may come in handy during a test or while chit chatting at a party, some are more amusing than others, such as the questions about why humans can’t eat grass, why we forget, and why babies and puppies are universally considered cute.

Why? is a great book for families with kids aged 12 and over to keep around and read a question and it’s answer at the dinner table on a regular basis. Curious kids and adults will enjoy reading it as well as having as a reference.

The publisher gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.