Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
from the Owners and Staff at Chat Noir Books.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Years!

Gift idea for that Hard to buy person!

Stuck trying to find that last minute gift, or maybe something for that person that is hard to buy for? How about The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO along with a LCBO gift card?

The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO: With Over 150 New Wines
by Rod Phillips

Rod Phillips has spent another year tasting and rating the wines on the shelves of the LCBO. Now in its fourth edition, The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO is a proven seller.

The book rates wines on a five-star scale, provides concise, no-nonsense descriptions, and suggests food pairings for each wine. And there is space to add your own notes after you’ve tried Rod’s suggestions. And this year, Rod has expanded the section devoted to the best-value sparkling wines available.

No wine consumer in the LCBO will want to head to the store without this definitive guide. Take advantage of the good- to great-value wines available at reasonable prices, and try something new if you tend to buy the same wine time after time. With updated information and new reviews carefully researched, this book is the most comprehensive LCBO wine guide there is. Bottoms up!

A Clean Beating by Nico Rogers

How about a Cookbook for Christmas

Not sure what to get that special person. Why not a cookbook! The gift that keeps on giving even after the Holidays!

Below you will find a few of Jenn and mine favourite cookbooks that we use all year long and a few that we thought were just pretty cool!

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The Big Cook
by Deanna Siemens | Joanne Thomas | Joanne Smith

Have fun with friends and fill your freezer with delicious, nutritious main-course meals!

What to have for supper is no longer a crisis!

- Do you find yourself running from work to your children's sports events or music lessons? Do you frequently have to eat out or grab take-out because you don't have time to shop or prepare supper?

- Imagine coming home from work or your busy day to find a hot, home-cooked meal ready to sit down and eat.

- What if you only had to prepare meals one day every 3 months?

- What if you could go to your freezer and pull out a delicious and nutritious meal that needs only to be cooked? All the preparation is done!

The recipes included are all tried, tested and tasted(kid-approved) and include 73 beef, chicken and pork recipes.

Whether you are single or married; preparing meals for your family, your child in college or your elderly parent; or a working or stay-at-home parent, this book is for you!

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Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
by Jeff Hertzberg MD | Zoe Francois | Mark Luinenburg

There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread to fill a kitchen with warmth, eager appetites, and endless praise for the baker who took on such a time-consuming task. Now, you can fill your kitchen with the irresistible aromas of a French bakery every day with just five minutes of active preparation time, and Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day will show you how.

Coauthors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François prove that bread baking can be easier than a trip to the bakery. Their method is quick and simple, bringing forth scrumptious perfection in each loaf. Delectable creations will emerge straight from your own oven as warm, indulgent masterpieces that you can finally make for yourself. In exchange for a mere five minutes of your time, your breads will rival those of the finest bakers in the world.

With nearly 100 recipes to put this ingenious technique to use, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day will open the eyes of any potential baker who has sworn off homemade bread as simply too much work. Crusty baguettes, mouth-watering pizzas, hearty sandwich loaves, and even buttery pastries can easily become part of your own personal menu, and this innovative book will teach you everything you need to know.

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300 Slow Cooker Favorites
by Donna-Marie Pye

A stellar collection of easy and delicious slow cooker recipes.

Slow cookers provide the perfect mealtime solution for tasty and nutritious food with a minimum of effort. Just a few ingredients in the slow cooker and a flick of the switch can produce a hot, satisfying home-cooked meal that's ready to serve at dinnertime.

300 Slow Cooker Favorites features easy, imaginative and delicious recipes such as:

- Sumptuous soups: potato leek soup with Stilton; meaty minestrone; roasted red pepper
- New chili dishes: football Sunday chili; party pleas'n chili; adobe pork and bean chili
- Satisfying mains: rosemary and garlic leg of lamb; gooey glazed beef ribs; coq au yin
- Sweet endings: very adult rice pudding; upside-down fudge brownie pudding; plum cobbler.

Also included are tips and techniques that guarantee slow cooker success. "Night before" advice features handy and time-saving tips.

From classic comfort foods to contemporary dishes, there's a new family-favorite waiting to be discovered by anyone using a slow cooker.

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Bake until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook
by Clifford A Wright

"Everybody who grew up on tuna noodle casserole or macaroni and cheese remembers that bubbling dish brought to the table with its top dappled golden brown, piping hot and inviting. My passion for casseroles was born from memories of my childhood and my mother's lasagna, thick and rich and gooey and delicious. But once I had three children of my own, casseroles were the solution to many frenzied nights. We all loved the simplicity, ease, and satisfaction of a well-baked casserole. One of my favorite dessert casseroles was the Pear Crisp my kids and I made in late August when our pear tree was groaning from the weight of those luscious orbs ripening. We'd cut them up and arrange them in a casserole with cinnamon and then blanket them with a streusel made of flour, butter, and sugar before baking until bubbly. Hey, what a great name for a book!"
--from Bake until Bubbly

Advance Praise

"Bake until Bubbly . . . the name says it all. Visions of creamy, tender casseroles with crusty, crunchy tops immediately come to mind and Clifford Wright's book delivers. You will find easy-to-make one-dish recipes like the rustic but elegant Veal Saltimbocca and Cassoulet and comfort food such as Blue Cheese Halibut Bake; Sausage, Red Bean, and Apple Casserole; Cranberry-Apple-Walnut Crisp; and Blackberry and Cream Cheese Cr?pes Casserole. I love the fact that you can find everything from breakfast casseroles to vegetarian options to desserts. The Potato, Bacon, and Gruyere Casserole is coming to my next potluck."
--Dede Wilson, Contributing Editor to Bon Appetit magazine and public television host

"Just when I thought there was little left to be exploited in casserole cookery, Clifford Wright comes up with an herby tamale pie with cornmeal mush, an Irish rutabaga pudding, a baked rigatoni with meatballs, a nectarine and almond dessert casserole, and numerous other fascinating dishes guaranteed to add new and exciting dimension to this succulent style of cooking."
--James Villas, author of Crazy for Casseroles and The Glory of Southern Cooking

Clifford A. Wright is the author of ten cookbooks, including Little Foods of the Mediterranean, Some Like It Hot, Real Stew, and A Mediterranean Feast, which won the 2000 James Beard/Kitchen Aid Cookbook of the Year Award as well as the James Beard Award for Best Writing on Food. He writes regularly for the major food periodicals, teaches cooking classes across the country, and lectures frequently on Mediterranean food. Visit his Web site at www.cliffordawright.com.



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Five Roses: A Guide to Good Cooking
by Elizabeth Driver

From Whitecap`s best-selling Classic Canadian Cookbooks come two must-haves for your vintage cookbook collection. The 1915 edition of the ROBIN HOOD COOK BOOK is one of North America`s oldest cookbooks from a trusted name in many kitchens. The 1967 Centennial Edition of the classic FIVE ROSES GUIDE TO GOOD COOKING has become an indispensable guide in the kitchen. Both books feature an introduction by culinary historian Elizabeth Driver.

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Farmers' Market Desserts
by Jennie Schact | Leo Gong

The number of U.S. farmers' markets has grown by 20% over the past three years to nearly 5,300 nationwide. This collection of tempting desserts inspired by those markets and the farmers who share their produce there satisfies the sustainable shopper's sweet tooth with more than 50 recipes for tarts, crisps, cupcakes, puddings, and more. Discover classics like Deep Dish Sour Cherry Pie and new interpretations like Tangerine-sicle Ice Cream. Featuring seasonality charts, 'farmer journal' tips, and dazzling color photography to teach and inspire, Farmers' Market Desserts is the perfect gift for bakers, lovers of local produce, and all who share in the delights of the farmers' market.

The Drowned by Nico Rogers

Television: First Look at BBC's Dirk Gently

Douglas Adams fans are in for a treat as the BBC has just released the first look at BBC's Dirk Gently TV series based off of Douglas Adams book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency:

There is a long tradition of Great Detectives, and Dirk Gently does not belong to it. But his search for a missing cat uncovers a ghost, a time traveler, AND the devastating secret of humankind! Detective Gently`s bill for saving the human race from extinction: NO CHARGE.

BBC Four released a trailer for the upcoming series Dirk Gently, based on two novels by the late Douglas Adams--Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. Blastr observed that BBC Four "bills the show as a 'drama,' but if it uses any of its source material, it should contain plenty of light British wit, ghosts and the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It may even involve the creation of all life on Earth."

--Shelf Awareness

Fatty Me Mommy by Nico Rogers

Check out the great video of Nico Rogers reading from his new book "The Fetch". Music by Mark Bradford and Dave Paterson.



Filmed at Chat Noir Books
Video by Good Gauley Productions!

Yes we have Board Games!!

Just a few of the board games we have in the store!


Word Sweep!

Looking For A Great Family Game Try Word Sweep The Game Where One Word Leads To Another. Players Use Dictionary Clues To Identify 3 Consecutive Words From A Merriamwebsters Dictionary Think Bad Badge And Badger. If A Player Identifies All 3 Words Its A "word Sweep" But If Any Words Are Missed Opponents Can Steal So Every Player Can Be Involved On Every Turn. Since The Game Has 3 Card Levels Players Can Progress To Harder Words; Whoever Finishes The Board First Wins.

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Doodle Pix

THE CLASSIC GAME OF PICS & SKETCHES

In this doodling game, players put their drawing skills to the test in a race against the clock. Players take turns drawing everything from athletic events to zoo animals. It’s a great game for parties and family get-togethers. Great content, great pricing, and eye-catching packaging!

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Dutch Blitz

A Vonderful Goot Game!

Dutch Blitz is such vonderful goot fun
For young folk -- and old vones too.
Vhy you should see the vones who plays:
They gets in such a stew.

Easy to learn -- exciting to play,
for two or three or four.
And this for sure is vone such game,
that ain't gonna be no bore.

So now, sit down with your friend or kin,
And try this game to play.
Chust bet that vhen you get started vonc't,
You'll play for most the day!

Each player gets one of the four decks of 40 cards each. Each deck has a different design on the back (carriage, pump, pail, and plow) to designate players cards. Each player has three cards placed on the table in front of them (post piles) along with a pile of 10 cards (blitz pile). Players try to form sequences of cards (in ascending order, by color) in the center of the table starting from one up to ten. Quickest player to get rid of his blitz pile calls BLITZ and play stops. Cards in center of table count for 1 point each, cards left in blitz pile count for -2 points each. First player to 75 wins.

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The Settlers of Catan

In Settlers of Catan, players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities, and roads. On each turn dice are rolled to determine what resources the island produces. Players collect these resources to build up their civilizations to get to 10 victory points and win the game. Multi-award-winning and one of the most popular games in recent history due to its amazing ability to appeal to non-gamers and gamers alike.

Die Siedler von Catan was originally published by Kosmos and has gone through multiple editions. It was licensed by Mayfair and has undergone at least 4 editions as Settlers of Catan. It has also been re-published in a travel edition by Kosmos and in yet another edition for Japan/Asia, Settlers of Catan: Rockman Edition.

Settlers of Catan is the original game in the Catan Series.

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Carcassonne

A clever tile-laying game. The southern French city of Carcassonne is famous for its unique Roman and Medieval fortifications. The players develop the area around Carcassonne and deploy their followers on the roads, in the cities, in the cloisters and in the fields. The skill of the players to best develop the area will determine who is victorious.

The players develop the area around Carcassonne by placing land tiles. Each turn the area becomes larger as the players expand and add roads, fields, cities, and cloisters. The players may also deploy their followers as thieves, farmers, knights, and monks to control and score points for the roads, farms, cities, and cloisters. As the players have only a few followers, the wise player will plan his moves carefully and deploy followers when and where he can earn the most points.

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Bandthology

The Bandthology tour-bus is pulling out, and you need to be on it! What type of music do you like? Rock, Hip-Hop, Country, Jazz, Blues... this game is as individual as you are. The object of BANDthology is to be the first individual or team to win 6 musicians to form your own Supergroup. Bandthology is unique, in that it appeals to music lovers of all ages and different musical interests.

BANDthology the board game features:

- "Musicology" cards that feature music trivia, presented as true or false questions, multiple choice, fill in the blanks, word unscrambles & open ended questions that really make you think on your feet.

- "Play" cards which challenge each player to provide "Open Ended" responses, (eg. Name 3 songs with an animal in their title, 3 artists that end with the letter T, song title that contains the word "House")

- "Now What?" cards either help or hurt your progress (eg. Your van broke down on the way to the gig, move back 3 spaces, or Congratulations! You just won a city wide song writing contest, collect the musician you are currently pursuing.)

- "Now What? Audition" cards, which are musical themed charades.


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Zombies!!!

Players take on the role of a survivor amid city streets sprawling with Zombies.

Movement is determined by dice roll as is combat when the player's piece is in the same square as a Zombie. Players must conserve bullets and protect their life counters. At the end of the turn a dice roll directs the player to move a number of Zombies one square (because they are the slow George Romero type).

First player to reach the center of the Helipad tile and kill the Zombie there, or kill a total of 25 Zombies wins. When a player is killed they move back to the starting tile and lose half their Zombie kills.

Improvements and additions to the First Edition include:

* Revised and updated rules.
* Updated art for greater visual impact.
* Deeper box designed to hold all the Zombies!!! expansions.
* Brand new art on all Map tiles.
* Revised or new art on all Event cards.
* Red Heart tokens.
* New "female" zombie figure.

Game is compatible with previous sets and expansions. Expansions available as well!

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Dominion

In Dominion, each player starts with an identical, very small deck of cards. In the center of the table is a selection of other cards the players can "buy" as they can afford them. Through their selection of cards to buy, and how they play their hands as they draw them, the players construct their deck on the fly, striving for the most efficient path to the precious victory points by game end.

From the back of the box: "You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes and dreams! You want a bigger and more pleasant kingdom, with more rivers and a wider variety of trees. You want a Dominion! In all directions lie fiefs, freeholds, and fiefdoms. All are small bits of land, controlled by petty lords and verging on anarchy. You will bring civilization to these people, uniting them under your banner."

"But wait! It must be something in the air; several other monarchs have had the exact same idea. You must race to get as much of the unclaimed land as possible, fending them off along the way. To do this you will hire minions, construct buildings, spruce up your castle, and fill the coffers of your treasury. Your parents wouldn't be proud, but your grandparents would be delighted."

Dominion is not a CCG, but the play of the game is similar to the construction and play of a CCG deck. The game comes with 500 cards. You select 10 of the 25 Kingdom card types to include in any given play -- leading to immense variety.

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THE HUNGER GAMES TRAINING DAYS

COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN, IN THE WILD, WITH EVERYONE FIGHTING AGAINST YOU?

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

A new line from the popular book and soon to be movie "The Hunger Games".

From the best selling book comes the Hunger Games Training Days, A Game of Strategy.
Coinciding with the final book in the trilogy being released this fall, the Training Days game allows 2-6 players to follow in the footsteps of their favorite Tributes.

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Squiggle

Here's a team game that will finally put to use the countless hours you've spent doodling mindlessly. Players are given a random line drawing, known as a "Squiggle," to start with, and then have 60 seconds to turn it into an object or picture. If their teammates can correctly guess what the drawing is, they are awarded points. Points are awarded based on skill level and the uniqueness of the image created. There are 3 levels of Squiggle templates: easy, challenging, and mind-boggling, and a score book provides a point value for over 870 pictures and objects that may be created. If no one guesses your drawing, don't fret! There are some templates in the deck that allow for "Second Chance" points by pantomiming what the drawing is. Best of all, a roll of the die determines what direction your Squiggle will begin, so that each game you play will be fresh and unique. Comes with 150 Squiggle templates, 2 sketch pads, 4 pencils, a die, timer, score pad, Squiggle score book, and game instructions. For 4 or more players.

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Quiddler


Quiddler is a fascinating cross between Scrabble and Rummy. It is an incredibly fun social game that can be played by anyone who can read and write. It can be played at parties and also as a casual spur-of-the-moment pass time. It can be a very competitive game that allows players to exhibit their skill in forming words. Yet it also
rewards players for forming simple words.

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Cool Christmas Book ideas for Kids!

Just a few of the Cool Children books we have in the store!


The ABCs of Rock
by Melissa Duke Mooney | Print Mafia | Mafia Print

From one of the top rock band poster artists in the country comes a collection of evocative images of 26 of rock music's most recognized icons. Starting with AC/DC's familiar lightning bolts and ending with ZZ Top's custom Ford coupe, this alphabetical retrospective of more than four decades of rock history will inspire music lovers of all ages.


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Star Wars: ABC
by Scholastic


A
Anakin
Anakin is an amazing Jedi.

B
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is a bounty hunter.


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Star Wars: Millennium Falcon:3-D Owner's Guide
by Ryder Windham

"What a piece of junk!"

"She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself."

Get the keys to the most famous ship in the galaxy! Explore the Millennium Falcon layer-by-layer, from the clandestine cargo bays to the highly guarded secrets to its speed. Not to mention all the laser cannons, cockpit controls, and circuitry bays you can handle--plus expert notes on those "special modifications" from the master of the Millennium Falcon himself, Han Solo. A must-have for any Star Wars fan.

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Mad About Munsch: A Robert Munsch Collection
by Robert Munsch | Michael Martchenko


Every kid knows that there is nothing better than sharing a hilarious story by Robert Munsch at bedtime, bathtime, and beyond- so why stop at one?

In this Munsch-tastic oversized collection, readers will find the following five stories:

* More Pies!
* Zoom!
* Smelly Socks
* Boo!
* The Sandcastle Contest

Plus a complete Munsch story, Braids, with art by some very special illustrators- kids!

Braids was originally published by eight-year-old Taya Kendall in support of the charity Children of Bukati, which helps orphaned Kenyan children attend school. Scholastic Canada is making a donation to Children of Bukati in the name of the kids from Sir Isaac Brock Public School, who drew the pictures.

Mad About Munsch! is a wonderful collection at a wonderful price!

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Amazing Cows: Udder Absurdity for Children Ages 5 to Infinity
by Sandra Boynton

From Sandra Boynton as it could only come from Boynton an inventive new exuberant jumble of a book for the young reader. Amazing Cows is a picture book, a storybook, a book of fun and games it s all those things in one. Plus it even shows you how to find the startling recording of Maurice Ravel s Bolero Completely Unraveled for Orchestra and Kazoos performed by Sandra Boyton The Highly Irritating Orchestra. (Running time is 17:14, but seems MUCH longer.)

A work of pure obsession, Amazing Cows celebrates cows and offbeat cowness with a miscellany of cow stories, cow poems, cow jokes, and other bovine ephemera. Along the way, expect lively guest appearances by ducks, pigs, and excessive numbers of chickens. There s a song: "It Had to Be Moo." A game: "Find the Hidden Cows." Famous Barnyard Composers (surely you ve heard of Wolfgang Amadeus Moozart and Johann Sebastian Bockbockbock). Knock-knock jokes, a cow myth, and an Amazing Cow comic-book adventure: "Trouble on Zebblor 7." Cow fashion. Cow Limericks. How to Speak Cow. Plus so much mooer.

Amazing Cows is full-color, 96 pages long, and packed with the kind of silly fun that young readers adore, especially when they can read it to themselves and then read it to their parents, and then to their little brothers, and then to the family dog. Or the family cow.

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The Klutz Book of Animation
by John Cassidy | Nicholas Berger
KLUTZ S. (series)

The Klutz Book of Animation

Make Your Own Stop-Motion Movies

Here are the 17 coolest, cleverest, trickiest stop-motion movies we could do! Watch family photos come to life, a sandwich eat itself, a man ice-skate on the lawn, a cucumber give a speech, and much, much more! Check out the videos first then go get the book to see how we did them. And remember: When you're making your own videos, don't worry about sticking to the script. Think of these videos as jumping off points for your own clever ideas. Your best ideas will come while you're in the middle of shooting, and you should roll with them. We did and we had a blast! Hope you do too!

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Ripley's Believe It or Not! Special Edition 2011
by Becky Miles

It Can't Be...Can It? The fascinating files of Robert Ripley prove there's nothing stranger than the truth. Turn the pages, if you dare. But watch out! There are more creepy facts and crazy feats than ever before. It's all weird, and it's all inside--Believe It or Not!




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This one-of-a-kind alphabetical adventure through the imaginative and intergalactic world of Star Wars features the names and images of the most popular characters, droids, and creatures in this galaxy far, far away.
With simple text that describes each image and emphasizes each letter, Star Wars: ABC invites readers of all ages to enjoy the legendary story of Star Wars in a whole new way.

The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science: 48 Experiments for Daring Young Scientists
by Sean Connolly

“WARNING: This Book Contains Detailed Information About the Most Dangerous Scientific Discoveries of All Time! Read At Your Own Risk!” (And learn a thing or two while you’re at it).


Yes, these experiments are actually safe to do in the comfort of your own home—now—but the scientific inventions and/or discoveries that inspired them were far from “safe” in their day. From the dawn of history, when our ancestors first began carving their tools (and weapons) out of stone, to the colossal Hadron Collidor of today, which promises to recreate the original Big Bang (and could, inadvertently, unleash a black hole that will swallow up the earth), mankind has been experimenting with science of the “potentially catastrophic” kind in one form or another. In The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science, Sean Connolly catalogs mankind’s most revolutionary discoveries in the world of science, from the taming of fire to the smashing of atoms—and gives kids 48 amazing experiments based on the scientific principles at the root of those discoveries.

Learn about Robert Goddard’s breakthroughs in jet propulsion by building your own rocket, or what Ben Franklin discovered about electricity by generating lightning in your mouth. Make slow-motion fireworks based on the ancient Chinese alchemist’s formula for preparing gunpowder (discovered accidentally while looking for an elixir of immortality), or your own “microwave oven” inspired by Theodore Maiman’s first studies in laser technologies.


Every truly great scientific innovation has come with some peril, whether to the scientists themselves or the world around them. With The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science kids will not only about learn these discoveries (and the times and people behind them), but gain firsthand knowledge of the science behind them.

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