Explorabook

What Hacker News says

1. amatechaJul 2022
   Explorabook is the best!! That big fresnel lens was the most amazing way to quickly start a fire! I mean not that I tried or anything :D Klutz made so many awesome books back then. I still have my Explorabook, Klutz Book of Knots, and "Juggling for the Complete Klutz" (and the original bean bags)... all super awesome stuff for a kid to enjoy and learn from!
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2. matthewmcgJun 2020
   The Explorabook remains a highlight of my childhood. John Cassidy wrote it in collaboration with the Exploratorium and included a magnet bar, agar gel, diffraction grating, mirror, Fresnel lens, Moire spinner, and other fun stuff. More importantly it was written in a humorous, accessible way that didn't talk down to you and stoked wonder. For example, the section on light talked about how lenses worked but also hinted that light had both particle and wave behaviors (e.g. interference from the diffraction grating), which blew my mind as a kid.
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3. dustincoatesJun 2020
   I absolutely loved the Explorabook as a kid. I loved even more finding out (at 18) that there was a museum that helped create the book. I still try to make it to the Exploratorium nearly every time I go to SF.
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4. randrewsJun 2020
   Just wanted to say, a couple of your books (Kids Shenanigans and the Explorabook) had a big impact on me as a kid, so, thank you.
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5. joe_away629Jun 2020
   Explorabook and Earthsearch loom hugely in my childhood memories; I can't think of another book that has stuck with me so much. Reminiscing with my mother now (I'm 30) about times spent eating biscotti in the Barnes & Noble cafe. Was recently trying to source a couple copies in Germany for a friend's kid. Now I'm reminded of the other titles, I'll probably get a set for myself as well :) Truly, thanks a million for bringing these into the world.
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6. clankyclankerJul 2022
   The one in the YouTube video looks very similar to (or exactly like) one of the designs from one of the Klutz books around the turn of the millennium. I might’ve found it in the Explorabook? I’m pretty sure they called it the best paper airplane you’ll ever make, it even had the same wing flaps.

   It also looks almost exactly like one in the cover of the paper airplane book:

   Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes Craft Kit https://a.co/94zUS0G

   Turns out Klutz might’ve printed quite a few paper airplane instruction manuals.

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