From BAM! to BURP!

♦ Using a friendly tone and speaking directly to readers, this book explains how a carbon atom that is now in a human might once have been in the body of a dinosaur. That’s a story young readers will want to know. The work opens as a small planet called Theia, containing carbon and other elements, crashes into the Earth. Over time, the carbon atom was released when a volcano erupted, and that started its voyage from Earth to tree to dinosaur to another tree to a person. It took billions of years. The book is infused with the author’s friendly and humorous tone. For example, after stating that atoms never disappear, they just move from one object or creature to another, she asks, “Want to know more? Then fasten your seat belt.” To explain how pieces of the planet Theia formed the Moon, she tells us they “thumped-bumped-clumped together.” A “Wonder Wall” raises and answers questions like these: “How much of my body is made of carbon?” and “How much of the air I exhale is carbon dioxide?” Back matter gives even more information about the carbon cycle. An author’s note explains what sparked the idea for the book. The illustrations provide color and humor and make facts about carbon atoms and their trip truly memorable. An illustrator’s note describes the delight and the challenges she faced. VERDICT Highly recommended for science and literacy programs.
—School Library Journal, starred review

The life and history of the carbon atom.
Stewart and Álvarez Miguéns presents their subjects as affable characters traveling through space and time, exploring the universe, and entering our bodies. In conversational, child-friendly language, the author defines an atom and explains how carbon atoms landed on Earth (the “BAM” of the title), rearranged themselves by joining with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, erupted from a volcano, and carried on to visit all of Earth. In one example, a carbon molecule travels through a tree leaf and joins up with oxygen and hydrogen molecules to form glucose. Eaten by a dinosaur, the carbon atom is later exhaled out into the atmosphere. Stewart digs up some fun places carbon atoms can be found, like a crab shell, a lump of coal, and even the maple syrup that smothers a stack of pancakes, which a brown-skinned child gobbles up, thereby ingesting many carbon atoms. The youngster gets a burst of energy and later emits the “BURP” of the title. Stewart’s extensive backmatter expands upon the nuts and bolts of carbon atoms, responding to questions such as “How much of my body is made of carbon?” or “Could a carbon atom that’s in my body now have spent time in a dinosaur?” ÁlvarezMiguéns’ digital illustrations depict the carbon atom with big, charming eyes and theatrically gesturing arms. She deftly spotlights the atoms as they travel and rearrange themselves.
A science tale told with pizzazz.
—Kirkus Reviews