Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum By Meghan McCarthy

Who knew bubble gum had such an unexpected backstory? Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum tells the delightful and true tale of Walter Diemer, a shy accountant at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in the 1920s who accidentally invented the first bubble gum. Meghan McCarthy’s bold illustrations and clear, engaging text take readers into a world of trial and error, strange experiments, and a sugary pink breakthrough that quite literally changed the way America chews.

This playful yet fact-packed book is more than just fun. It is a launchpad for cross-curricular exploration into chemistry, public health, advertising, invention, and 20th-century American culture.

Curriculum Connections

Science: Chemistry & Experimentation 

  • Chemistry in Action: Diemer’s process is a great way to discuss real-life applications of chemistry, emulsification, polymers, viscosity, and elasticity. Use this book to introduce or extend units on physical properties of materials and chemical processes.

  • The Scientific Method: Diemer’s success came through observation, experimentation, and accidental discovery. Discuss how failure played a role in the invention and how perseverance and curiosity are essential traits in science.

Health: Nutrition, Advertising & Consumer Habits

  • Sugar and the Body: Use the story as a conversation starter about sugar consumption and dental health. How does the rise of sugary gum reflect changes in public health awareness over time?

  • Health vs. Marketing: Examine how products like gum are marketed despite having little to no nutritional value. What persuasive techniques are used to sell “fun” over function?

  • Product Labels & Consumer Choices: Connect to media literacy by having students analyze ingredient lists and advertisements for different gum brands. What is promoted? What is hidden?

History: The 1920s, Innovation & Pop Culture

  • The Roaring Twenties: Set against the backdrop of the 1920s, Diemer’s story is a great way to introduce this decade of innovation, economic change, and consumerism. How did advertising and new inventions shape American culture?

  • Everyday Inventions: Help students realize that history isn't just about wars and politics. It is also about the small innovations that become cultural staples.

  • Economic History: Connect the invention of bubble gum to the rise of American industry, branding, and entrepreneurship. Diemer wasn't a scientist or an executive, he was a clerk. What does that say about opportunity and innovation?

Discussion Questions

Science

  1. What scientific properties made Diemer’s bubble gum different from others?

  2. How does this story reflect the process of trial and error in experimentation?

  3. Why do you think Diemer didn’t patent or profit significantly from his invention?

Health

  1. What are some short-term and long-term effects of chewing gum?

  2. How do gum advertisements influence how we see health and habit?

  3. Should certain kinds of food or candy be regulated differently for children and teens?

History

  • What does this story tell us about everyday life in the 1920s?

  1. How did consumer culture affect what people valued and bought?

  2. Why do we remember (or forget) certain inventors or inventions?

Meghan McCarthy’s Pop! is the kind of picture book that surprises and delights older readers while opening up rich conversations about invention, chemistry, public health, and American history. It's proof that even a sticky pink treat has a story worth exploring and that science and history are never too far from everyday life.

This book works beautifully as a hook or companion text in science, health, or history classrooms, especially when paired with media literacy and discussion-based activities. Plus, who can resist a story about the invention of bubble gum?

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