About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is navigating the social pressures of middle elementary school or needs a humorous nudge toward scientific thinking. It is a perfect fit for the child who tries to 'solve' their friends' problems with enthusiastic but often misguided projects. The story follows Trudie, a self-appointed food scientist, as she attempts to engineer the perfect diet to boost her friend Ben's confidence and energy for a class election. Through Trudie's quirky experiments, the book explores themes of loyalty, trial and error, and the realization that while we can support our friends, we cannot control their outcomes. It is a lighthearted, age-appropriate choice for 7 to 10 year olds that balances school-life drama with the fun of 'kitchen chemistry.' Parents will appreciate how it models a growth mindset by showing that even when an experiment fails, there is always something new to learn.
