Pop!: The Invention of Bubblegum

Author/Illustrator: Meghan McCarthy

Genre: Non-fiction

Grade level: K-4

The story begins with a factory owned by the Fleer family. They made large quantities of gum and candy in the 1920s. One of the factories employees was named Walter Diemer and he was a simple accountant that didn't know anything about gum. Time passed and the office next to Diemer's became a laboratory. It was occupied with many different technicians trying to come up with new kinds of gum. Gum wasn't very exciting but they decided that they should make gum be able to blow bubbles. The technicians didn't have any luck with it and they were about to give up when Walter was asked to watch a kettle holding a gum experiment. He became fascinated and he had no idea what he was doing but he eventually came up with the perfect mixture.

This book can be used in the classroom to encourage students to never give up on their dreams. It also can be used for a research project. I myself never knew the story about gum and this is a very interesting read to find out a little bit more about it. 

The illustrations are very cute and cartoonish. The big eyes look like they're about to pop just like the title and the idea of gum. The color scheme and style make it seem as if it is in the 1920s. They include fun-facts about bubble gum.