Let’s Pop, Pop, Popcorn!

In energetic rhymes and onomatopoeic text, debut author Schumerth details popcorn’s journey from seed to snack. As the pages turn, an inclusive group of children prepare the soil and tend the sprouts (“Dig the ground up with a hoe./ Plant the seeds and hope they grow”); watch for growing stalks (“Ears sprout hair that’s fuzzy red”); harvest, shuck, and dry ears of corn; and at last pop the resultant kernels into their final delicious form. Vibrant unlined illustrations by Uhles make use of textural close-ups to show the children invested at every stage of the plant’s journey; one spread includes a kid’s-eye view of weeding. Though a smattering of scientific words sometimes slows the text’s otherwise steady rhythm (“Not strong enough to hold this load.../ The shells (called pericarps) explode”), Schumerth and Uhles offer a lively introduction to the science behind a favorite munchable. Back matter includes more information about why popcorn pops, along with a popcorn-related science project and craft. Ages 6–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]