Chemistry you can chomp

For readers searching for a good place to begin learning about chemistry, this entry in the Super Simple Science You Can Snack On series (6 titles) is a perfect place to start. Young readers are introduced to atoms, solutions, reactions, and much more by way of simple experiments using food as visual aids. The kitchen turns into a laboratory as kids make a pizza model of a nucleus, view a solution in action by making hot chocolate, use marshmallows to view the three states of matter, and explore osmosis with gummy bears. Clear, step-by-step instructions, a list of ingredients and tools needed, and accompanying color photographs showing different steps make each activity fun and easy. A glossary and a quiz accompany an encouraging concluding note. A playful, inviting choice for chemistry introductions.--Selenia Paz Copyright 2019 Booklist

K-Gr 2-STEM programs are more memorable when sugar is involved. That's just science. The five to seven mostly no-cook recipes in each book will be good for classroom, club, or program use, as the instructions are meant to be followed with little variation. Clear design, close-up photos, and diagrams where necessary will help ensure success. Each book starts with several pages of tools and ingredients, safety instructions, and science background. Chemistry You Can Chomp stands out, highlighting projects that demonstrate chemical processes and principles: acid-base reactions, state changes, etc. The projects in Engineering You Can Eat, though fun, messy, and yummy, have less educational value because the processes of building the edible structures (igloo and tepee especially) do not resemble the engineering processes of building the real-life structures. VERDICT Achievable, edible projects that demonstrate or model STEM content. © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.