How Cool Is This? Edited by Wendy Horobin. DK Canada, 2011. $17.99 ages 8 and up

"The fizz n a bottle of
soda comes from carbon
dioxide gas. This is forced
into the drink at high
pressure so that it dissolves
in the liquid, forming
carbonic acid. Once the
lid is put on the can or bottle,
the gas stays dissolved. As
soon as you undo the lid ... "

Will I ever stop singing praises for the amazing books that DK Publishing creates? I doubt it. Every time I think I will just skim a book's pages, I end up spending a few hours learning much more than I could have imagined at the start of my day.

In this book, children will learn about inventions and such awesome things as bubbles, a glowstick, bubble gum, neon lights, robot dog, night vision, wind turbine and levers, to name but a few of the subjects covered in its pages. We all want kids to understand more about science topics and interest is always higher when that information is presented in a graphic and accessible way.

Have you ever wondered about the colors in bubbles?

"The surface of a bubble shows a constantly
swirling pattern of colors. It has some of
the colors you see in a rainbow, as well as
magenta, silver, and gold. The colors show
how thick the bubble's skin is. When a bubble is
almost entirely black, it is very thin and ready to pop."
The text is written to be read by young readers in grades 3 and up, and is engaging for all who will read it. If you have, or your children have, ever wondered about a wide array of science topics in the world that is their playground, this book will help to understand how inventions have changed our world and how some incredible natural wonders happen. The science isn't really secret, it just may be unknown to many of us.

As we have come to expect, the photographs are clear, colorful, telling. There is so much to see and to ponder as readers gather information and get an up close and personal look at the answers to questions they may or may not have asked. Fascinating and fun, this is a book that will appeal to those who love science and to those who love to learn new things!

"BLOWING A GUM BUBBLE and seeing
how big it will go before it goes pop is fun.
Even scraping it off your face afterward
adds to the pleasure. But have you ever
thought about what it is you are chewing?
Or what helps you blow a really big
bubble? It's all down to chemistry."

Read, learn, have fun ... what more can we ask of a book?