Carly Anne York: The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog

The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog is a quick and fun read. It covers high-level scientific discoveries without getting bogged down in the dense technicalities that usually ruin science books. Some of the stories are a little forgettable, but overall, it is an highly accessible book that tries to put a cute, modern spin on the scientific method.

The stories themselves cover some incredibly wild territory. You get to learn about magnetic levitating frogs, the surprising connection between whales and the Wright brothers, and even the fluid dynamics of elephant pee. The book covers topics you never knew you needed to learn about in a light and entertaining way. This approach is miles better than standard technical writing.

However, the book does have a noticeable flaw. It suffers from never fully embracing the zany, irreverent promise of its own title. Just when things get weird and fun, the writing slips right back into standard academia. Because of this, some of the chapters get a bit long-winded. A sillier, more chaotic tone similar to Ryan Reynolds's Underdogs would have made this title truly stand out from the heavy competition. It still does an admirable job of keeping your interest, but it does not quite deliver on the wacky promise of its cover.

Ultimately, this book feels like the textual extension of a classic Bill Nye the Science Guy skit or one of the manic learning sessions in Beakman's World. Although it is an imperfect read, comparing it to those legendary shows is about the highest compliment I can give when covering a non-academic learning book.