Candy Experiments - by Loralee Leavitt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Brilliant use of Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, and other holiday candy! Fun, colorful, and full of surprises, Candy Experiments will have kids happily pouring their candy down the drain and learning some basic science along the way.

Candy is more than a sugary snack. With candy, you can become a scientific detective. You can test candy for secret ingredients, peel the skin off candy corn, or float an "m" from M&M's. You can spread candy dyes into rainbows, or pour rainbow layers of colored water. You'll learn how to turn candy into crystals, sink marshmallows, float taffy, or send soda spouting skyward. You can even make your own lightning.

Candy Experiments teaches kids a new use for their candy. As children try eye-popping experiments, such as growing enormous gummy worms and turning cotton candy into slime, they'll also be learning science. Best of all, they'll willingly pour their candy down the drain.

Candy Experiments contains 70 science experiments, 29 of which have never been previously published. Chapter themes include secret ingredients, blow it up, sink and float, squash it, and other fun experiments about color, density, and heat. The book is written for children between the ages of 7 and 10, though older and younger ages will enjoy it as well. Each experiment includes basic explanations of the relevant science, such as how cotton candy sucks up water because of capillary action, how Pixy Stix cool water because of an endothermic reaction, and how gummy worms grow enormous because of the water-entangling properties.

Review Quotes

(Candy Experiments) "My younger son, who is 4, loves open-ended play where he can just pour and mix and add candy as he desires, watching the colors emerge or the solutions bubble," said Viera mother of two Courtney Charles. "The older one, who is 7, loves doing actual experiments like soaking candy with leters to watch the letters float, testing for acid in the candy with baking soda, comparing candy densitites, or creating a color wheel by mixing various colors of candy." (Katie Parsons, Florida Today)

"'Candy Experiments' is perfect for curious children of all ages, parents, home-schooling families or for teachers to use in the classroom." (Wendy Jessen, Deseret News)

"Talk about making science sweet." (Candy Experiments) (Erin Andersen, Lincoln Journal Star)

"When science is disguised as playing with your food, everyone wins." (Candy Experiments) (Donica Kaneshiro, Honolulu Star-Advertiser)

"Check out..."Candy Experiments" published by Andrews McMeel Publishing for some fantastic ideas that will give your kids something fun to do with their candy other than eating it." (Charles Stuart Platkin, News-Sentinel)

About the Author

Loralee Leavitt received the Highlights Pewter Plate Award for Nonfiction Feature of the Year, Independent Readers for the Candy Experiments article published in Mothering magazine, and her articles in ParentMap helped that magazine win a Gold Award from Parenting Publications of America. A popular freelance writer, she regularly contributes to Cricket, Scouting, Pockets, Boys' Quest, Fun for Kidz, Writers' Journal, and Highlights. She has given Candy Experiments presentations at local and national events, school classrooms, science fairs, Halloween parties, and farmers' markets. Loralee lives in Kirkland, Washington, with her husband and three kids.