Phenomena

October 1, 2008
Gr 5-8-Students with an interest in the weird and unusual will find this book fascinating. It begins with an introduction to human senses and continues with chapters devoted to phenomena such as the "sixth sense," synethesia, and intuition. One of the most interesting sections discusses animals that use their senses in unusual ways, such as dogs that are trained to detect cancer by scent. The author liberally incorporates well-documented quotes from experts. Scientific explanations for many of the phenomena are evenly balanced with personal anecdotes from individuals with unusual experiences. The black-and-white illustrations and photographs are plentiful enough to make the text accessible to reluctant readers. Accurate, entertaining nonfiction."Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2008
Grades 6-9 From the author of ER Vets (2005), this volume focuses on phenomena that may be difficult to explain. It raises a broad range of topics, such as the history and study of paranormal experiences, the super senses of animals, the basis of intuition, the interpretation of coincidental events, the meaning of dreams, and the strange perceptions resulting from sensory areas in the brain that have unusual connections. Illustrated mainly with photos, the discussions are non-technical and quite readable, though often they provide brief overviews of subjects without reaching conclusions. For example, some readers will enjoy learning about a familiar phenomenon in the sidebar called Musical Earworms, while others will be disappointed not to know why songs get stuck in our heads. Jacksons research is evident from the extensive source bibliography, which is arranged by chapter. Other appendixes include a lengthy glossary and lists of recommended books and Internet sites. The eye-zapping cover may draw browsers to this intriguing book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
Jackson moves beyond the basics of sensory perception to explore fascination with the unexplained, showing how our minds can transform sensory inputs into phenomena such as the "sixth sense" (e.g., low-frequency sounds cause us to feel uneasy in "haunted" environments). She also examines how the brain and new technologies compensate for missing senses. Black-and-white illustrations include stock photographs and scientific diagrams. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2008
Jackson moves beyond the basics of sensory perception to explore its alluring edges -- the place where our fascination with the unseen and unexplained meets the limits of scientific explanation. In a mix of first-person accounting, factual explanations, and quotes from researchers, she presents cases that might help explain how sensory inputs can be transformed by our minds into decidedly nonscientific phenomena such as the "sixth sense" and psychic prediction. She also examines the ways in which the brain -- and new technologies -- compensate for people who are missing senses. Jackson covers below-the-radar phenomena such as low-frequency sounds that cause us to feel uneasy in "haunted" environments, the use of pattern recognition in new settings that allows us to "intuit" details about people, and the "phantom limb" experience of amputees. Holding open the possibility of alternative explanations in cases where no scientific explanation exists, she nonetheless carefully shows that merely the desire to believe in these abilities does not make them true. Instead, it is careful research -- sometimes stemming from the observations formerly attributed to the paranormal -- that can help us understand more about sense and the nervous system and provide ways for technology to better help those who need assistance. Black-and-white illustrations include stock photography and scientific diagrams. Appended with recommendations for further reading, a glossary, source notes, and an index.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)