# Help me identify a children's book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2014, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235 "2014-04-03T06:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/1 "2014-04-03T06:35:58Z")
I have postive recollections of a book I read as a child but I can remember almost nothing about it distinct enough to identify it. However, I remember that the main protagonist was a boy who liked doing experiments and quasi-scientific stunts only one (maybe two) of which I remember. The one I remember clearly was that he heard that if you soaked a crusty loaf of bread in water for a few days the crust would hold it together but the inside would have turned to slurry. If you then took it to a height and dropped it, it would splatter most amazingly. He tries this but accidentally drops it on someone’s head (a schoolmaster?) and knocks them unconscious. He might also have tried that trick of inserting a hose into the side of a tin, putting some flour in the hose and a stub of candle in the tin, then blowing the flour in so it exploded, blowing the lid off the tin. Can anyone identify this book? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/2 "2014-04-03T13:16:03Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I have postive recollections of a book I read as a child but I can remember almost nothing about it distinct enough to identify it. However, I remember that the main protagonist was a boy who liked doing experiments and quasi-scientific stunts only one (maybe two) of which I remember. > > The one I remember clearly was that he heard that if you soaked a crusty loaf of bread in water for a few days the crust would hold it together but the inside would have turned to slurry. If you then took it to a height and dropped it, it would splatter most amazingly. He tries this but accidentally drops it on someone’s head (a schoolmaster?) and knocks them unconscious. > > He might also have tried that trick of inserting a hose into the side of a tin, putting some flour in the hose and a stub of candle in the tin, then blowing the flour in so it exploded, blowing the lid off the tin. > > Can anyone identify this book? This makes me think of William Hayes “Project: Genius” [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/william-hayes/project-genius/](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/william-hayes/project-genius/) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/3 "2014-04-03T23:11:35Z")
Nope, that’s not it, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/4 "2014-04-06T18:12:28Z")
May I suggest trying [Goodreads.com](http://Goodreads.com), they have a whole section for finding books. > **[What's the Name of That Book???](https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/185-what-s-the-name-of-that-book)** > > Can't remember the title of a book you read? Come search our bookshelves. If you don’t find it there, post a description on our UNSOLVED message board.... ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/5 "2014-04-07T09:47:11Z")
Was it part of a series? Sounds like a Henry Reed or Danny Dunn plot twist. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-childrens-book/685235/6 "2014-04-07T23:43:37Z")
I don’t think it was Danny Dunn because (I’m remembering more details as I go) I think it was English.