The Birthday Blastoff (Kate the Chemist #4)

by Kate Biberdorf (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
 The fourth installment of the Kate the Chemist fiction series that shows kids that everyone can be a scientist! Perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series. When Kate's brother Liam is having a science-themed birthday party the very same day that the science club in Kate's school is planning a special rocket launch experiment, Kate isn't sure how she'll manage to do it all: be a great big sister AND a great science club member. But with a little help from chemistry--and her friends--Kate figures out a way to be in two places at once. That is, until she is late to pick up the ice cream cake, which means Liam won't have a birthday cake for his party! Will science be able to save the day?
Select format:
Hardcover
$12.99

More books in the series - See All

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5--The fourth adventure in the "Kate the Chemist" series follows the titular hero as she navigates chemistry experiments, rocket launches, school drama, and more. Kate befriends a new member of the science club, Tala, and the two bond over a shared passion for science. But their burgeoning friendship causes Birdie, Kate's art-loving best friend, to feel isolated. She immediately distances herself from the pair, much to Kate's confusion and dismay. Meanwhile, the science club plans a rocket launch, an experiment suggested by Tala. There is one major problem: The launch falls on the exact same day and time as Kate's younger brother's birthday party. Through clever thinking and no shortage of STEM, Kate works out a way to attend both events, mend friendships, create new ones, and support her brother. Kate and her family are white, Tala and her family are Filipino, and their classmates are racially diverse. Instructions for a double balloon rocket experiment, including materials, protocol, and an explanation of the science behind the experiment, follow the story. VERDICT With numerous scientific concepts and terms scattered throughout, this pleasant title will appeal to fans of other STEM-infused series like Emily Calandrelli's "Ada Lace" and Asia Citro's "Zoey and Sassafras." An additional purchase for middle grade collections.--Olivia Gorecke, Cape May Cty. Lib., Ocean View, NJ

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Kate Biberdorf
Dr. Kate Biberdorf, also known as Kate the Chemist by her fans, is a science professor at UT-Austin by day and a science super hero by night (well, she does that by day, too). Kate travels the country building a STEM army of kids who love science as much as she does. You can often find her breathing fire or making slime--always in her lab coat and goggles.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593116647
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Philomel Books
Publication date
May 11, 2021
Series
Kate the Chemist
BISAC categories
JUV036000 - Juvenile Fiction | Science & Technology
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
Library of Congress categories
Science projects
Birthdays
Chemistry
Rockets

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!