Science on the Loose

Science on the Loose. Helaine Becker, Maple Tree Press, 2008.

Science on the Loose is a fun book.

I'm not saying that it isn't informative or filled with examples or anything like that - but fundamentally, it's about all the fun you can find in science.

From mini-volcanoes (did I miss something as a kid? I don't remember making one, but this experiment shows up in almost every science book) to testing whether images with eyes make people behave better to pointing out that Nature once ran an article called "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans" (apparently chickens are among the more discerning barnyard fowl; an unrelated experiment revealed just how little it takes to make a turkey happy), Science on the Loose is a great introduction to the idea of science as a subject that's simultaneously playful, joyful, and real.

Science on the Loose is a Cybils Middle Grade/YA Non-Fiction nominee.