What Floats in a Moat?    by Lynne Berry & Matthew Cordell Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2013 (2013) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch Because I'm a goat you'll probably think my first name, Archimedes, is a tad pretentious. Therefore I'll let you call me Archie and you can forget all about the cool stuff my namesake did with floating stuff in water. (Well, perhaps you better not totally forget about displacement and volume and how that knowledge can launch a boat.) My picture book begins when I enlist my friend, a hen named Skinny, to help me create a contraption to float us across a moat filled with water. 'We could just take the drawbridge,' Skinny exclaimed when I explained how we were going to get across the moat to the castle. 'This is no time for a drawbridge. This is a time for science!' I replied. Requisitioning some barrels, we began designing a water craft to float us across the moat. Without going into the details (you can read my book!), suffice it to say that after two attempts we weren't any closer to the castle but we were getting rather waterlogged. My third attempt actually was a smashing success, although it did create one or two other small problems that needed to be sorted out with the royal pig who lived in the castle. (You can read about that in my book too!) As you follow my amazing exploits (all in the name of science), you'll learn a little about why things float and also discover how clever I was in conquering the moat. Also, don't miss the Author's Note at the end of the book - it will explain the simple physics I so cleverly employed! Children five years of age and older will find my story not only amusing (and definitely enlightening), but it will also explain one of the great mysteries of life. Why don't those giant, heavy, mega-big, colossal ships we see sink to the bottom of the sea when they leave the dock? Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews