This is basically a nicely illustrated book designed for the young student interested in chemistry, geography, geology, and history - and to make it even better, as an adult I learned quite a few things that I didn't know about salt. For the more advanced group, I would like to say that salts are precipitates of the joining of a acid and base. e.g. when one part HCL [hydrochloric acid] is added to one part NAOH [sodium hydroxide] - think drain cleaner in this case; we are left with one part table salt NACL and one part water H2O [which can also be written as HOH.
The authors begin with an explanation of how most of the surface salt on the earth is formed by solar evaporation of sea water. I found it interesting to learn that rock salt is still mined underground near the cities of Detroit and Cleveland, which now explains why some northern states use salt to thaw the ice and snow on roads in the winter - its relatively cheap. The USA produces the most salt of any country in the world with the largest mines near Salt Lake City.
One fact that I found interesting was why modern roads seem to meander so much rather than go in straight lines. Well, it seems they simply followed old animal paths that the animals had followed in their quest of looking for the next salt lick, as all mammals require salt for survival.
We learn how salt was used to preserve many types of food and eventually lead to some of our favorite foods of today as bacon, ham, and even ketchup, with the Egyptians being the first to use preservation on a large scale.
The importance of salt throughout the ages was clarified in many places as in our own history when we declared our independence from England, and our own large scale salt industry sprang up, after England cut off our salt supply.
It is hard to believe that the authors could get so many interesting facts told in such an absorbing way in a 48pp book with numerous illustrations and a great two page timeline of important events in the history of salt placed at the end.
This not only makes a nice reference for late grade and middle school kids, but a fun book that parents will enjoy reading themselves. Highly recommended.
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Amazon Customer
Nicely written . Good read. Informative
Reviewed in India on May 16, 2021Turtle
Nice book. Very informative
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2015