Intro Physics Book Recommendations For a 13 Year Old

[Aki2341]

I have a thirteen-year-old daughter, and I would like to give her a book as an introduction to the world of physics. Could you recommend something you consider the best?

Unfortunately, I can't describe her as someone who is bright. I would say it's more like 'like father, like daughter.' Therefore, I think novel-style books that follow interesting events in history would be well-suited. However, any suggestion is welcome. I also want to introduce her to books that are not necessarily staples from the past; instead, I prefer books that have been written in recent years, as newer books tend to be easier to read.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Bandersnatch]

I'm guessing you're looking for something more like a first popular science book than an introductory textbook?

Maybe Bill Bryson's 'A short history of nearly everything'.
It's an excellent, easy read, touching on all natural sciences in fun anecdotes. It will not teach anyone any physics (or biology, or anthropology...) but it might spark an interest in further, more focused study.

 

[Aki2341]

I'm guessing you're looking for something more like a first popular science book than an introductory textbook?

Maybe Bill Bryson's 'A short history of nearly everything'.
It's an excellent, easy read, touching on all natural sciences in fun anecdotes. It will not teach anyone any physics (or biology, or anthropology...) but it might spark an interest in further, more focused study.

Thank you for your recommendation. Yes, I was looking for something like a first popular science book focused on physics. Sadly, the book you recommended does not have a translation into her native language.

 

[berkeman]

I've recommended this small book before on PF for beginners in Physics -- it is a fun book to read through, and you can go through it with your daughter to help out on the examples and questions. You could check your local library to see if they have a copy, or just purchase it through Amazon or similar.

 

[jtbell]

Sadly, the book you recommended does not have a translation into her native language.

It might help if you could see fit to tell us which language that is.

 

[robphy]

This is a textbook. A older paperback edition is less expensive than the latest hardcover edition.
I don't know if it is translated into other languages.

The Physics of Everyday Phenomena 8th Edition
by W. Thomas Griffith & Juliet Brosing
https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Everyday-Phenomena-Thomas-Griffith/dp/1260597717/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[berkeman]

The Physics of Everyday Phenomena 8th Edition
by W. Thomas Griffith & Juliet Brosing
https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Everyday-Phenomena-Thomas-Griffith/dp/1260597717/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Interesting -- I wonder what they mean by "International Edition"...

International edition of Physics of Everyday Phenomena 10th Edition By W. Thomas Griffith, Juliet Brosing.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Interesting -- I wonder what they mean by "International Edition"...

From my experience, it's sort of mitigation of purchasing power disparity. A recognition that you can't really afford a hundred quid or so for a text when you're a student in India or whatnot.
Same book content-wise, bur significantly cheaper, maybe worse paper/print/cover quality, with a note that it's only intended for sale in a particular country/outside the Commonwealth, etc. I don't know how much legal weight the latter has, but it's never been an issue to order those from anywhere - as seen above
The textbook pricing is a discussion whole unto itself.

 

[mpresic3]

I can recommend a recent book that presents exciting physics and chemistry at this level with one reservation. An excellent book that was recommended to me is, "Storm in a Teacup", by Helen Czerski. I think she has a TED talk on the internet so you may be able to see if you like her style.
The only reservation is the book is written for adults, and the sentence structure is clearly that of an highly educated author to another adult. I think a good high-school student has the patience to read sentences like in the book. I am not sure a typical middle school student would have the patience. At 13, she has only been reading for 5-10 years or so. In some ways, in reading this book relatively strong verbal skills are more necessary than strong mathematical skills.
If old books are on the table, reading Isaac Asimov's non-fiction books, like, "an intelligent man's guide to the physical sciences" inspired me, as a 14-year old. Asimov wrote other books after this one that may be OK.

 

[berkeman]

Thank you for your recommendation. Yes, I was looking for something like a first popular science book focused on physics. Sadly, the book you recommended does not have a translation into her native language.

Does anybody know if Kindle editions can be piped through Google Translate or similar to translate the text portions into other languages?

 

[Frabjous]

I can recommend a recent book that presents exciting physics and chemistry at this level with one reservation. An excellent book that was recommended to me is, "Storm in a Teacup", by Helen Czerski. I think she has a TED talk on the internet so you may be able to see if you like her style.
The only reservation is the book is written for adults, and the sentence structure is clearly that of an highly educated author to another adult. I think a good high-school student has the patience to read sentences like in the book. I am not sure a typical middle school student would have the patience. At 13, she has only been reading for 5-10 years or so. In some ways, in reading this book relatively strong verbal skills are more necessary than strong mathematical skills.
If old books are on the table, reading Isaac Asimov's non-fiction books, like, "an intelligent man's guide to the physical sciences" inspired me, as a 14-year old. Asimov wrote other books after this one that may be OK.

I liked Czerski’s “The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works”

 

[Aki2341]

I've recommended this small book before on PF for beginners in Physics -- it is a fun book to read through, and you can go through it with your daughter to help out on the examples and questions. You could check your local library to see if they have a copy, or just purchase it through Amazon or similar.

View attachment 338468

Thank you for your recommendation. (Sadly, this one also does not have a translated book in her language.)

 

[Aki2341]

It might help if you could see fit to tell us which language that is.

Thank you for pointing out. Her language is the Traditional Chinese. Hope this helps.

 

[Aki2341]

I can recommend a recent book that presents exciting physics and chemistry at this level with one reservation. An excellent book that was recommended to me is, "Storm in a Teacup", by Helen Czerski. I think she has a TED talk on the internet so you may be able to see if you like her style.
The only reservation is the book is written for adults, and the sentence structure is clearly that of an highly educated author to another adult. I think a good high-school student has the patience to read sentences like in the book. I am not sure a typical middle school student would have the patience. At 13, she has only been reading for 5-10 years or so. In some ways, in reading this book relatively strong verbal skills are more necessary than strong mathematical skills.
If old books are on the table, reading Isaac Asimov's non-fiction books, like, "an intelligent man's guide to the physical sciences" inspired me, as a 14-year old. Asimov wrote other books after this one that may be OK.

Thank you for your recommendation. Ugh, this one also does not have translation into her language.

 

[Aki2341]

This is a textbook. A older paperback edition is less expensive than the latest hardcover edition.
I don't know if it is translated into other languages.

The Physics of Everyday Phenomena 8th Edition
by W. Thomas Griffith & Juliet Brosing
https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Everyday-Phenomena-Thomas-Griffith/dp/1260597717/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Thank you for your recommendation. Sadly, this one does not have translation.

 

[berkeman]

Thank you for your recommendation. (Sadly, this one also does not have a translated book in her language.)

Are you fluent in English? If so, you may be able to use apps like "Lens" for mobile phones, or maybe some Kindle translation path to help you work with her to go though smaller books like the "Thinking Physics" one that I mentioned. There are plenty of illustrations in that book, so if you helped to translate the words, it still could be valuable, IMO.

 

[Frabjous]

These are old, but I believe they have been translated

Erwin Schrödinger, What Is Life?
George Gamow, One Two Three … Infinity

 

[Bandersnatch]

Thank you for pointing out. Her language is the Traditional Chinese. Hope this helps.

Forgive the dumb question, but is simplified Chinese no good?

 

[robphy]

This is a textbook. A older paperback edition is less expensive than the latest hardcover edition.
I don't know if it is translated into other languages.

The Physics of Everyday Phenomena 8th Edition
by W. Thomas Griffith & Juliet Brosing
https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Everyday-Phenomena-Thomas-Griffith/dp/1260597717/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Thank you for your recommendation. Sadly, this one does not have translation.

Does this work?
https://www.amazon.com/物理学与生活（第8版）-...-Brosing（朱莉叶/dp/7121360489/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Muu9]

See if any of these have been translated:

Thinking Physics by Epstein

How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life by Bloomfield

Conceptual Physics by Hewitt

What If by Munroe
The Physics of Superheroes by Kakalios

The Science of Superheroes by Gresh and Weinberg

The Science of Supervillains by Gresh and Weinberg

Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics by Tom Rogers

Breakfast with Einstein & How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog by Orzel

 

[Baluncore]

I have a thirteen-year-old daughter, and I would like to give her a book as an introduction to the world of physics. Could you recommend something you consider the best?

Thank you for pointing out. Her language is the Traditional Chinese. Hope this helps.

One entry to Physics could be through mathematics. Maybe her introduction to Physics could be in the form of an English lesson. Learning another language while young, will empower her in many more dimensions, than will learning physics.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

Conceptual Physics by Hewitt

This is a must-have.