Gonzo Gizmos

Simon Quellen Field's Gonzo Gizmos is probably my favorite science experiment book, because he shows you how to make exciting things that spark, float, explode, make noise, and jump, like Van de Graaff generators and working radios out of stuff you can find in your house.

Even the projects that require more exotic materials (such as bismuth and pyrolytic graphite) are easy to make and have a high bang for the buck ratio. You can find out more about Field's experiments (and buy supplies and materials) at his website, scitoys.com. $11.53 on Amazon.com