2022 Finalist: Young Adult Science Book

Chemistry for Breakfast: The Amazing Science of Everyday Life, by Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim. (Illustrated by Claire Lenkova.) Translated by Sarah Pybus. Greystone Books, 2021.

In this quirky and surprising book, a quick-witted chemist reveals the amazing science behind everyday things (like breakfast and trips to the dentist) and not-so-everyday things (like space travel—and baby dinosaurs). Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim uses the same relatable style that makes her a popular YouTuber to explain scientific concepts everyone should know. Over the course of a single day, she shows us that amazing science happens everywhere—we just have to look for it. In the morning, her alarm prompts a deep dive into biological clocks and fight-or-flight responses, followed by a coffee with a side of heat conduction and states of matter. Mai continues with explainers of cell phone technology, food preservation, body odor, and the effects of alcohol. At the book’s end, she leaves readers with an appreciation of facts and a basic understanding of the science of everyday life.