From BAM! to BURP!: A Carbon Atom’s Never-Ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU

Gr 1-4–Using a friendly tone and speaking directly to readers, this book explains how a carbon atom that is now in a human might once have been in the body of a dinosaur. That’s a story young readers will want to know. The story opens as a small planet called Theia, containing carbon and other elements, crashes into the Earth. Over time, the carbon atom was released when a volcano erupted, and that started its voyage from Earth to tree, to dinosaur, to another tree to a person. It took billions of years. The book is infused with the author’s friendly and humorous tone. For example, after stating that atoms never disappear, they just move from one object or creature to another, she asks, “Want to know more? Then fasten your seat belt.” To explain how pieces of the planet Theia formed the Moon, she tells us they “thumped-bumped-clumped together.” A “Wonder Wall” raises and answers questions like these: “How much of my body is made of carbon?” and “How much of the air I exhale is carbon dioxide?” Back matter gives even more information about the carbon cycle. An author’s note explains what sparked the idea for the book. The illustrations provide color, information, and humor and make information about carbon atoms and their trip truly memorable. A brief illustrator’s note describes the delight and the challenges she faced. Verdict. With a great deal of information, this book is highly recommended for science and literacy programs.