The Kitchen Pantry Scientist Chemistry for Kids

* 2021 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in Middle Grade Longlist
* 2021 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book 
* 2021 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children’s Honor Book

Aspiring young chemists will discover an amazing group of role models and memorable experiments in Chemistry for Kids, the debut book of The Kitchen Pantry Scientist series.

Replicate a chemical reaction similar to one Marie Curie used to purify radioactive elements. Distill perfume using a method created in ancient Mesopotamia by a woman named Tapputi.

This engaging guide offers a series of snapshots of 25 scientists famous for their work with chemistry, from ancient history through today. Each lab tells the story of a scientist along with some background about the importance of their work, and a description of where it is still being used or reflected in today’s world.

A step-by-step illustrated experiment paired with each story offers kids a hands-on opportunity for exploring concepts the scientists pursued, or are working on today. Experiments range from very simple projects using materials you probably already have on hand, to more complicated ones that may require a few inexpensive items you can purchase online. Just a few of the incredible people and scientific concepts you’ll explore:

Galen (b. 129 AD)
Make soap from soap base, oil, and citrus peels.
Modern application: medical disinfectants

Joseph Priestly (b. 1733)
Carbonate a beverage using CO2 from yeast or baking soda and vinegar mixture.
Modern application: soda fountains

Alessandra Volta (b. 1745)
Make a battery using a series of lemons and use it to light an LED.
Modern application: car battery

Tu Youyou (b. 1930)
Extract compounds from plants.
Modern application: pharmaceuticals and cosmetics

People have been tinkering with chemistry for thousands of years. Whether out of curiosity or by necessity, Homo sapiens have long loved to play with fire: mixing and boiling concoctions to see what interesting, beautiful, and useful amalgamations they could create. Early humans ground pigments to create durable paint for cave walls, and over the next 70 thousand years or so as civilizations took hold around the globe, people learned to make better medicines and discovered how to...