Pop The Invention of Bubble Gum [Hardcover]

Gum. It’s been around for centuries—from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone’s chewed it. But the best kind of gum—bubble gum!—wasn’t invented until 1928, when an enterprising young accountant at Fleer Gum and Candy used his spare time to experiment with different recipes. Bubble-blowing kids everywhere will be delighted with Megan McCarthy’s entertaining pictures and engaging fun facts as they learn the history behind the pink perfection of Dubble Bubble.Meghan McCarthy is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children, includingEarmuffs for Everyone: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs;Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton;Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum;City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male;Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse; andAll That Trash. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at Meghan-McCarthy.com. A sweetly told, worthy tale—the world needs more heroes like Walter. -KIRKUSHORN BOOK Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy; illus. by the author Primary Wiseman/Simon 40 pp. 5/10 978-1-4169-7970-8 $15.99 Although chewing gum dates back over nine thousand years, it wasn't until 1928 that mild-mannered accountant by day and inventor by night Walter Diemer introduced bubble gum to the American public. And the rest is history, with over forty million pieces of bubble gum now sold daily. McCarthy's light-as-air biography covers a popular topic and a likable ( I've done something with my life...I've made kids happy around the world ) hero whose success comes through hard work, perseverance, and ingenuity. McCarthy's signature round-faced characters, with spherical insectlike eyes, suggest a number of gumballs playfully rolling across each page. Initial dark backgrounds reflect the dismal state of the pre-bubble-gum factory, while brighlƒŒ