Does it seen like this blog has been a little quiet lately? Wondering why?
Well, for the summer I have some obligations that will keep me otherwise occupied. These obligations involve teaching a high school chemistry class, among other things. In preparing for the class, I’ve found some chemistry books that might appeal to chemists and non-chemists alike. Some of them are for kids and some are for young adults. Let’s start with one for kids this week.
Why Is Milk White?: & 200 Other Curious Chemistry Questions
In this unique project, 11-year-old Alexa Coelho came up with the questions and science writer Simon Field answered them. What better way to ensure that the information included is age appropriate than have it originate with a child?
Coelho asks questions like, “Why do onions make you cry?” “Why does sugar cause cavities?” and “What causes bad breath?” To his credit, Field takes every question seriously and fully answers each one as clearly as possible. He also includes some age-appropriate experiments to try at home, from lifting latent fingerprints from a “crime scene†using super glue (for smooth surfaces) or iodine (for paper) to hollowing out the zinc interior of a penny using muriatic acid.Â
Not everyone will need to read this book cover to cover. Readers can skim and skip to questions that intrigue them. Those fascinated by chemistry and how the world works, however, won’t be able to put Why is Milk White? down.
Age Range: 9 and up
Publisher: Chicago Review Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1613744528
ISBN-13: 978-1613744529
Related
Budding chemists might want to try two fast and fizzy chemical reactions: Easy endothermic and exothermic reactions
See our entire list of popular chemistry books for kids
Do you have any favorite chemistry books? We’d love to hear about them!
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Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.
