Antacids, lemon juice, seltzer water, household ammonia…and anything else you want to try!
Directions:
Ask an adult for help to chop, grate, or blend the cabbage into very small pieces.
Place the cut up pieces in a pitcher and cover just to the top of the cabbage with very hot tap water.
Wait at least fifteen minutes for the water to turn pinkish purple. (The longer you wait, the stronger your cabbage juice will be.)
Pour some of the juice through the coffee filter into a plastic cup (or beaker).
Add a teaspoon of baking soda…then watch what happens!
Next, add some vinegar. Can you turn the juice pink again?
Get out some more plastic cups and experiment with the rest of the juice and any “extra credit” ingredients you have at home. How many different colors can you make?
Clean up!
The Facts:
Red cabbage juice contains flavin, a special kind of pigment molecule that changes color depending on the pH of the liquid. Vinegar is acidic, and baking soda is the opposite: a base. You can actually use cabbage juice to measure the pH of different chemicals using a color scale like this:
Color
pH
Red
2
acid
Purple
4
Violet
6
Blue-Violet
7
neutral
Blue
8
Blue-Green
10
Greenish-Yellow
12
base
Crush Alert trivialicious trivia
Where is the new boy Trevor from? A. Hawaii
B. California
C. Florida
What kind of snack does Charlotte knock over at the newspaper meeting? A. Cheese Doodles
B. Pretzels
C. Chex Mix
D. Barbecue potato chips
What footwear does Maeve ruin in the soccer game? A. Pink boots with sparkly fur
B. High-heeled black boots
C. Pink-and-white-checked rain boots
D. Soft pink leather loafers
When Charlotte first discovers Marty’s illness, where does she find him? A. Out on her balcony
B. In the bathroom
C. Under her dad’s desk
D. In Ms. Pierce’s apartment
When Charlotte talks to her Dad about Nick, what show are they watching? A. A special about the Serengeti
B. A documentary about Renaissance France
C. A romantic comedy
D. A discovery show about exploring the Great Barrier Reef
What do you add to cabbage juice to make it froth with pink foam? A. Diet Coke
B. Baking soda
C. Vinegar
D. Tums
Which is NOT the title of a song that Riley writes in this book? A. “Furniture Boy”
B. “Valentine Song”
C. “You, You, You”
D. “My Girl, My Star”
What Valentine’s Day craft do Isabel and Kevin teach the kids at the homeless shelter? A. Crepe-paper flowers
B. Pop-up Valentine’s Day cards
C. Painted heart magnets
D. Heart stamps cut out of potatoes
What is the name of Ms. Pink’s boyfriend’s dog? A. Duke
B. Brady
C. Washington
D. Rex
What color dress does Charlotte wear to the dance? A. Light green
B. Lilac purple
C. Periwinkle blue
D. Rose pink
ANSWERS: 1. B. California 2. D. Barbecue potato chips 3. A. Pink boots with sparkly fur 4. C. Under her dad’s desk 5. A. A special about the Serengeti 6. C. Vinegar 7. D. “My Girl, My Star” 8. C. Painted heart magnets 9. B. Brady 10. B. Lilac purple
Book Club Buzz
10 QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAT ABOUT
Maeve pretends to be interested in sports to impress Dillon. Is it a good idea to change who you are just to get someone to like you? What should Maeve have done instead?
Marty has to go to the vet because he’s “lovesick.” Have you ever accompanied a favorite pet to the vet? What happened there? Did your pet get better?
Charlotte makes a top-ten list of things to do alone on Valentine’s Day. What would your list look like?
Maeve makes a winning goal for her soccer team, but falls facefirst in the mud! How would you feel in her place? What was your most embarrassing sports moment ever?
Charlotte finds Riley’s personal notebook full of lyrics he wrote. She decides not to read them, and gives it back without telling her friends. Was this a good decision? Have you ever discovered a secret you weren’t meant to know? Did you tell anyone or keep it to yourself?
Katani asks Reggie to the dance, then talks Charlotte into asking Nick. The plan backfires, but what do you think of Katani’s reasons? Would you rather ask a boy to go to a dance with you or wait for him to ask you? Why?
Isabel chooses to keep her promise to help out at a homeless shelter instead of going to the dance. Have you ever had to choose between two events happening at the same time? How did you make your decision?
The Queens of Mean give Chelsea a hard time at the dance, but both Maeve and Trevor stand up to them. How does it make you feel if someone is picking on one of your friends? What if the victim is not a friend, just someone you know? Would you respond differently?
Sophie assures Charlotte that it’s okay to tell to her friends about her first kiss. Do you think a moment like Nick and Charlotte’s is meant to be kept secret or shared with best friends?
Charlotte and Avery both confide in their parents about boys. Have you ever talked to anyone in your family about a crush? What happened? How much do your parents or siblings know about who you like?
Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary
BSG Words
ginormous (p. 133) adjective—gigantic and humongous
fantabulous (p. 137) adjective—fantastic and fabulous combined
beauteous (p. 160) adjective—beautiful and gorgeous combined
awesomest (p. 166) adjective—most awesome
fabulosity (p. 170) noun—fabulousness
fabuloso (p. 68) adjective—fabulous
Spanish Words & Phrases
maravilloso (p. 3)—marvelous
abuelita (p. 108)—grandmother
chica (p. 145)—girl
muy bonita (p. 148)—very pretty
mi hermana (p. 149)—my sister
mi hija (p. 158)—my daughter
que romantica! (p. 250)—how romantic!
French Words & Phrases
ma chere (p. 63)—my dear
au revoir (p. 64)—good-bye
très magnifique (p. 67)—very wonderful
mon amie (p. 67)—my friend
bisous (p. 131)—kisses
beaucoup de bisous (p. 131)—many kisses
ma meilleure amie (p. 222)—my best friend
ton amie (p. 222)—your friend
Other Cool Words…
commiserated (p. 9) verb—discussed and offered sympathy
hypocritical (p. 30) adjective—supporting something one doesn’t really believe
intimidating (p. 32) adjective—causing fear or a lack of courage
sepia (p. 35) adjective—reddish-brown color
emphasis (p. 38) noun—added importance
feistiness (p. 51) noun—energy or spirit
lethargic (p. 53) adjective—having slow and sleepy behavior
reminisced (p. 61) verb—remembered
figment (p. 82) noun—little piece
sophisticated (p. 88) adjective—cultured, grown-up
pact (p. 93) noun—promise
phenomenon (p. 97) noun—an unusual or extraordinary event
subtleties (p. 117) noun—fine differences that are hard to see
pulverize
(p. 125) verb—to pound into dust
terrarium (p. 130) noun—a glass cage for keeping small animals
nonchalant (p. 186) adjective—unconcerned
jubilant (p. 190) adjective—joyful
vivacious (p. 200) adjective—full of life
pristine (p. 233) adjective—perfectly neat and clean
reclusive (p. 246) adjective—shy
conspiratorially (p. 246) adverb—as if planning something together