Bubblemania: A Chewy History of Bubble Gum (Paperback)

~ (Author), Sandra Forrest (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-7?A zany history of the discovery and the development of the bubble-gum industry. Filled with facts and trivia, the information ranges from the wacky inventions of early gum vendors to the production of gumballs in a modern-day factory, from the advertising campaigns of early marketers to tips on blowing "bodacious" bubbles. Initial chapters explore the medical origins of gum as used by ancient Greeks and Mayans. There is also a chapter devoted to chewing etiquette, and advice offered by youthful "pros" reveals the secrets of blowing an award-winning bubble. Through the profiles of entrepreneurs such as William Wrigley, Jr., readers see the evolution of gum into a million-dollar industry geared toward children. Although the black-and-white photos detract from the colorfulness of the subject, the abundance of little-known facts, many of which are artfully displayed in bubbles and boxes, will intrigue readers. The humorous writing style and eye-catching graphics further invite browsing. Although Robert Young's The Chewing Gum Book (Dillon, 1989) and Robert Hendrickson's The Great American Chewing Gum Book (Stein & Day, 1984; o.p.) offer similar information, the light touch and level of detail distinguish Wardlaw's title.?Jennifer Oyama, Los Angeles Public Library, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

As complete a compendium of information about bubble gum as anyone is ever likely to want. Wardlaw (Punia and the King of Sharks, 1997, etc.) includes a thorough history of chewing gum in general and of bubble gum in particular, a tour of a factory, interviews with champion bubble-blowers, industry information, quotes from literature, trivia, instructions for blowing bubbles and for cleaning up gum messes, lots of black-and-white photographs, and even a recipe. Even for those who don't chew, the book has a certain fascination, due in large part to sprightly writing, but also to the surprising complexity of what only appears to be a simple subject. The historical matter jumps around a bit, and there is a needless chapter devoted to rules for gum chewing as written by members of a sixth-grade class. Otherwise, this is a lively and enjoyable treatise on a subject close to most kids' hearts. (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689817193
• ISBN-13: 978-0689817199
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #445,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Short and Fun Lesson On the History of Bubble Gum, March 4, 2009

By	ReviewMaster "dogs AND dinosaurs rule!!!!!" (ca) - See all my reviews

Bubble Mania: The Chewy History of Bubble Gum Non-Fiction Review

Grade: B+

...I know that I normally review horror books and movies, and that this book is totally different, but every once in a while it's not bad to pick up an interesting non-fiction book.

Bubble Mania's fun lies in its quirky facts and trivia, and even includes some (unhappily) black and white pictures on how you make bubble-gum. The history goes back thousands of years ago, even to the Greeks and the Mayans!

The problem with the book is that towards the middle it seems like the author ran out of things to say and started to repeat the same facts, and the book starts to drag. But, after awhile, the book came back again with newer facts, like how kids can get paid up to thirty dollars an hour taste-testing new gum, or how gum gets distributed through premiums (one premium was a free bull!!), or how gum balls are made.

In the back of the book, it even tells you how to make your bubble gum, which is kind of the reason I got the book in the first place. The problem: You have to send away ten bucks to get the ingredients. Kind of cheap guys. Still a fun and short read though, recommended.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of infomation both factual and fun !!!, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

Bubblemania - the chewey history of Bubble Gum is an excellent source of information. Both fact and fun. Also has recipe to make your own Bubble Gum and where to order the necessary ingredients. We used for a 2nd grade Science Project.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars it's a mouthful, January 29, 2001

By A Customer

This book was amazingly great. It was my favorite book and it is the kind of book you can read over and over again. I would recomend it to absolutely anyone. This book is the best book in the world. This is a fine peice of liderature. It provides all the facts you could possilbly want and some ideas for first time chewers. You will learn amazing and practical facts you can use everyday. It was glorious, wonderful, clever, made you want to keep reading.