Helaine Becker

illustrated by Claudia Davila

Let your inner scientist loose! Have you ever asked yourself a question that others might find a little weird? Like, "How many times a day do people blink?" or "What makes chickens cross the road?"

Do you know what kind of people ask weird questions all the time? Scientists! But why should scientists have all the fun? Now, you too can find out the answers to such pressing questions as, "Why can't I walk through a wall?" or "Could I make a chimpanzee yawn?" And you don't need fancy lab equipment to do serious science experiments such as, "Do girls pass more wind than boys?"

Bursting with hands-on science and infused with Helaine Becker's trademark wit and Claudia Davila's cool artwork, Science on the Loose encourages young readers to release their inner scientist, and think, do and learn in the most entertaining way possible. Each experiment--whether it's to test density in fruit, determine dominant genes or make slimy goo--follows accepted scientific procedure. The easy-to-follow experiments can be safely performed without special equipment or unusual ingredients.

Readers learn about chemistry, climate change, genes, the senses, photosynthesis, scientific method, even Einstein's Theory of Relativity. In addition to a regular subject index at the back, a helpful listing outlines all the scientific principles covered in the book.

Ages 8-12.