The Popcorn Burglar by Gloria G. Adams is the first entry in the Silvee Spoon, Junior Chef Science Mysteries series. This middle-grade mystery follows ten-year-old Silvee Spoon and her triplet siblings, Parker and Trina, after strange noises echo through their converted factory apartment building and someone sneaks into their father’s restaurant kitchen. Missing food, two abandoned milk glasses, a hidden doorway, and a trail of popcorn give the young detectives plenty to investigate. The setup is easy to grasp, but it has enough twists and suspicious characters to keep the case moving.

Silvee makes an engaging narrator because her curiosity feels active rather than merely described. She notices details, tests theories, and turns her knowledge of cooking into practical detective work. Parker contributes math skills and quick observations, while trivia-loving Trina adds humor, imagination, and the occasional ghost theory. Their orange cat, Hashbrown, brings some welcome chaos to the investigation. Together, the siblings have the comfortable teasing and cooperation of a real family, and their different interests give this children’s mystery book a lively group dynamic.

The strongest feature of this STEM children’s book is the way food science becomes part of the mystery instead of interrupting it. Short science sections explain why popcorn pops, why chocolate melts, and why tonic water glows under a blacklight. Silvee then applies those ideas in the kitchen, most memorably when she makes glow-in-the-dark popcorn balls to track the culprit. Recipes, trivia, and puzzles extend the experience after the story, making the book feel like a blend of science mystery, culinary adventure, and hands-on activity book. The illustrations also help establish the old building’s shadowy spaces, the bustling restaurant kitchen, and the personalities of the Spoon family.

Underneath the clues and experiments, The Popcorn Burglar is a warm story about responsibility, curiosity, and kindness. Chef Spoon’s rules provide a natural moral framework, particularly the reminders to clean up after yourself, control your anger, and sprinkle kindness over everything. The solution adds emotional weight without becoming heavy, showing Silvee that understanding someone’s circumstances matters as much as identifying what happened. With short chapters, playful dialogue, accessible science, and a satisfying case, this educational chapter book should connect especially well with young readers who enjoy mysteries, cooking, experiments, or all three.

Pages: 76 | ASIN : B0H94SYS7B