This book only has a nominal fictional plot that serves primarily as a faming device for the format of the book. Two brothers are making some popcorn in their kitchen during a commercial break on TV. While one brother prepares the popcorn, the other provides a litany of fun factoids about the origin and history of popcorn, as well as explaining the science behind why corn pops in the first place. At the end of the book the reader, is given two different recipes for making their own stovetop popcorn. The most obvious thing to do with this book would be to pair it with some kind of popcorn party, because pretty much everyone likes popcorn. You could even get crazy and have some cheese or caramel corn as well, but I think how much your students will like this book is directly proportional to the quantity of popcorn they are allowed to consume while reading or listening to it. I wouldn’t suggest trying to follow the recipes in class since hot oil and small children don’t mix, even without accounting for the logistics in popping a reasonable amount of popcorn for 30 students all at once. But kids also love easy to digest facts that they can remember, and this book is FULL of them. I personally remember not only owning this book as a child but endlessly reciting its fact every time she dared to pop a bag of popcorn. ( )

This is a great book for learning about history in a fun way and it even teaches you how to make popcorn at the end of it! I would read this with second graders and then would have a popcorn day after we have read it! ( )

When you think about popcorn, you don't exactly think about about Native Americans before our nation's birth but popcorn is significantly older than most know. The book even refers to ancient popcorn older than 5,000 years old. The story goes over some history of popcorn and some folklores about it. Its a cute way of getting information about a delicious snack through to children. ( )

I just don't know if I believe everything that was said. And the author's 'recipes' say that a child shouldn't be alone with the stove under age 12 - but these children do not look that old. ( )