Nonfiction Monday: Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum

McCarthy, Meghan. Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010.

Gum!  Who doesn't love gum?  This is a great picture book about the invention of bubble gum in a most unexpected way.  The end papers of this book feature a bubblegum pink background with illustrations of gum balls in various colors.  This sets the tone for the storyline.  We see the story of Walter Diemer, who is an accountant at a gum and candy factory in Philadelphia.  The illustrations get more colorful as Walter gets closer to finding the correct recipe for gum that makes bubbles.  Walter gets asked to watch over a gum experiment and this leads to Walter experimenting with the gum recipe until he gets it just right.  His discovery saves the company from closing and he eventually becomes the vice president of the company.  I enjoyed the illustrations of this book, especially the bubble like eyes of the people displayed on the pages.  We also get a look at the history of gum in the world.  Did you know that even the Ancient Greeks had a form of gum?  Do you know why the famous bubblegum has its pink color?  Read this interesting book to find out!
The back of the book contains some additional information about Walter Diemer, even more fun facts about gum and a list of resources used to write the book.
Megan McCarthy's book about gum has received a star review from School Library Journal.  This book is recommended for children grades 1-4, but I think younger children would enjoy the picture book style of writing.  McCarthy has written several other books that you may be familiar with including: City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male and Seabiscuit: Wonder Horse.
Extension Activities:  This book would make a fun addition to a study of inventions and inventors.  It could also be used as a start to a fun day or program about bubble gum and candy.  You could even make your own bubble gum if you have the time or you can buy a bubble gum making kit.  You can even sing a song about bubble gum!  There are many science experiments you could perform about gum (which gum makes the biggest bubbles?  Does gum weigh more after being chewed?  etc.).  Here are some other books about the wonderful world of gum:














Be sure to check out the rest of the Nonfiction Monday posts, this week hosted by Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian!

Some Recent Good Reads...

I know, I must be living under a rock, but I just finished The Hunger Games.  And of course I have Catching Fire on hold at the library.  I had to read the whole thing in one evening, I could not put it down. I am looking forward to the other books as well.
Here is the trailer for Hunger Games, for those of you who may not have read it yet:



Another good read I recently finished was Star in the Forest.  It was a quick read and dog lovers everywhere are sure to appreciate this title.  This is also the first children's book I have read that includes the topics of deportation and immigration. Check out the author's website for a teacher's guide and an immigration discussion guide.

Nonfiction Monday: The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound

Wolf, Sallie, and Micah Bornstein. The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound: A Birder's Journal. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2010.

This nonfiction book combines interesting bird facts, journaling, and poetry in a fascinating manner.  This title is aimed for children grades 4-8, but I think it could be shared with younger children as well.  The book information page tells us that the illustrations were created using watercolor, pen and ink on the author's original journal pages and on handmade paper, which were then scanned and finished using Photoshop.  The binding of the book is similar to a bound journal which is a very nice touch.  There is a table of contents to help the reader organize the information included in the book.  Much of the font used throughout the book is handwritten notes from the author.

At the beginning of the book, there is a note from the author telling the reader how she became a bird lover and avid bird-watcher.  The poem like journal entries contain facts about birds and observations the author has made.  Throughout the book are hand drawn labeled illustrations of birds mixed with watercolor pictures.  The entries begin in the Spring time and continue through all the seasons.  There are various bird lists contained on the pages.  One of the poems is about a robin making a laughing sound and another is displayed inside the shape of bird eggs (whole and hatched).
The end of the book includes a note from the author describing how she began keeping a journal when she was a young girl.  This may inspire some young readers to start keeping a journal of their own.  There is also a list of resources at the back of the book.  These include the following websites: All About Birds, Bird Watching in the USA and Around the World, and eNature: America's Wildlife Resource.
This book has received a star review from School Library Journal. You can read another review and an interview with the author at the Wild About Nature blog.  Sallie Wolf has her own blog called Learning as I Go.  The book even has its own Facebook page!
Extension Activities:  This book would be a great addition to a study of birds or journaling.  The publisher, Charlesbridge, has available on their website a free discussion guide, activity suggestions and some bird identification cards for printing.

Be sure to read the other Nonfiction Monday posts, this week hosted at Shelf Employed.

Book Review

Schlitz, Laura Amy, and Angela Barrett. The Night Fairy. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press, 2010.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this book on a notable list or even win some awards. I felt that it was well written and the plot line flowed well. I enjoyed the small size of the book and the jacket art was spectacular. The colorful watercolor illustrations add a sense of whimsy to the story. The main character is Flory, a night fairy who through some tough circumstances has become a day fairy. The fearless fairy shows what it takes to survive in the sometimes cruel world of the garden. She shows determination and a great sense of resourcefulness. I think that girls grades 1-4 will really enjoy this fairy themed read. This book received a star review from both School Library Journal and Booklist, along with being Amazon's book of the month in February. This book is also one of Booklist's Top Ten Sci Fi/Fantasy Novels of 2010. Another must read for 2010!

Be sure to check out the author's site about the book and an interview with the author about the book on BookPage.