Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears

The book does target a potential moment of inquiry from a science course, but it does not provide scientific processes to find an answer.

Author: Verna Aardema
Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon
Year Published: 1975
ISBN: 0803760892

Summary

When the mosquito annoys the iguana, it causes a chain of events from one animal to the next, resulting in the death of an owlet. At an animal council meeting, the lion retraces everyone's stories back to the mosquito, blaming her for the incident. This is why mosquitoes are always buzzing in people's ears; they feel guilty and are asking if everyone is still mad at them. While this is a beautiful literary book, it's probably not the best for a science classroom.

Evaluation

Appropriateness: Medium
Authority: High
Accuracy: Low
Liteary Artistry: High
Appearance: High

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

The book does target a potential moment of inquiry from a science course, but it does not provide scientific processes to find an answer.

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

Students may interject with questions about the characters, but they probably wouldn't be scientific inquiries.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

No, it tells children why things are a certain way.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

No, this does not provide a scientific explanation to the question asked in the title. Rather, the story is a folktale used to explain the phenomenon.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

This book provides a folktale rather than a scientific answer to a question.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

No, although the teacher reading this book should preface that it's a West African tale, the story is framed as fact.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations personify animals but are clear and easy to decode.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

It would be more appropriate as a read aloud for younger grades, but could be an independent reading book for further developed students.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

Yes, the book tells a West African tale in a respectful, accurate way.

Is the book free from gender bias?

Yes, gender isn't really mentioned.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

Yes, this book could be used to explain how early scientists were thinking. People had to balance legends and folktales with valid experiments to answer the questions they had about the world.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

No, those are irrelevant to the story.

Science Topics

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