NonFicNov

In the book world, the month of November is dedicated to reading and sharing non-fiction books. This month I’ll be sharing some non-fiction books that I think would be great for readers, young and old. These books will cover various topics and interests.

Click HERE to see more amazing #NonFicNov books like BOUNCE!

Bounce cover

BOUNCE!
A Scientific History of Rubber
By: Sarah Albee
Illustrated by: Eileen Ryan Ewen
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Non-Fiction

Can you imagine being a kid and not playing with a ball that bounces? Even though rubber has been around for thousands of years, it wasn’t always realized what rubber could actually do. In the new children’s picture book, BOUNCE!, kids will learn the history of rubber, the science behind its formation into something that bounces or rolls, and the danger of too much demand for rubber.

Bounce page 1

Today is National STEM Day, which makes it the perfect day to learn about rubber. Over time, rubber was found to be useful as a raincoat but then became sticky when it got hot or hard when it got cold. Both Charles Goodyear in America and Thomas Hancock in England struggled to understand the science behind rubber. After years of tinkering, a simple ingredient seemed to be the solution to rubber holding its shape.

Bounce page 2

From rubber being used in shoes to rubber in a basketball to rubber in tires, kids will learn the process of trial and error, patents, and how rubber is used today. There will be pages of simple scientific formulas to explain the science behind rubber as well as fun illustrations of adults trying to play tennis with a ball that didn’t bounce. Can you imagine riding a bike with wooden tires? Thank goodness for rubber!

The end of the book includes an author’s note about the troubling aspects of harvesting rubber from trees and the danger to our atmosphere and nature due to the pollution of rubber. A timeline at the end of the book beginning 3,500 years ago through today explains the history of rubber and its creation and use over time in an easy-to-understand format.

Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of nonfiction books for kids. Her most recent titles are both nonfiction picture books: The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington, and Bounce!: A Scientific History of Rubber. Other popular titles include Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done; Fairy Tale Science; Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries; and Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up; and Alexander Hamilton: A Plan for America.  She and her husband live in New York City and have three grown children. Visit her at www.sarahalbeebooks.com

Eileen Ryan Ewen is the illustrator of many books for children, including H is for Honey Bee, Jonas Hanway’s Scurrilous Scandalous Shockingly Sensational Umbrella, and Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story. Visit her website, www.eileenryanewen.com


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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.

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