By Charly SHELTON

Children of the 1990s remember who taught them science. From learning the principles of fossilization through a home experiment involving a sponge and table salt to discovering how airplanes fly in a music video of “Nyevana’s” classic song, “Smells Like Air Pressure,” scientific principles were made accessible to Gen Y kids through a TV series that had an infectious and unforgettable intro song. He is not a guy who just likes science, he is the definite article – Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Now, nearly 20 years after the show went off the air, Nye is still considered a respected scientist and is an advocate of climate change abatement. He has guest-starred on talk shows and documentaries since the mid-2000s to discuss all manner of scientific topics. He has also written several books for adults in the last few years that call out everything from creationism to anti-vaxxers and corrects them with science.

For kids, Nye produces a book series entitled, “Jack and the Geniuses” with the first book taking the team to “The Bottom of the World.” Now Jack and his friends are back again to tackle another scientific adventure in “Jack and the Geniuses in the Deep Blue Sea.” To celebrate the launch of Book Two of the series, Nye and co-author Gregory Mone will be visiting Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse in La Cañada to meet fans and sign copies of the book.

“We got contacted by his publicist to make a pitch for the event,” said Jenny Wannier, book buyer and children’s book specialist at Flintridge Bookstore. “We had actually put forward two ideas, one was for a school visit, but it turned out he was only available in the evening, so we got the evening one. And we’re very excited.”

Prior to the book signing, Nye and Mone will give a lecture on the science behind the book in the upstairs area of the bookstore, and displays will be scattered around the store featuring Nye’s other books for adults, as well as the first book in the “Jack and the Geniuses” series.

“Mostly it’s just giving people an opportunity to get to listen to Bill Nye and hear about his books and hear some about science, and how he put the book together with this co-author. I think it’s really cool to get to see Bill Nye. It’s going to be really cool to see him and meet him and hear him talk,” Wannier said.

Tickets are available with the purchase of the new book. The book itself, $13.95, represents one admission. With the purchase of a book, a limited number of additional tickets per book beyond that are available at $5 each. Book and ticket sales are made via telephone or in-person only, and space is filling up fast. Wannier, who has been managing the event, is surprised at how many adults are coming to the children’s book signing because of The Science Guy.

“I am a Bill Nye fan,” she said. “Although I have to say there are a lot of Bill Nye fans in the world. It’s so much fun to see how many people want to come to this event even though the book tour is for a middle grade series. So many people want to come just to see Bill Nye. And the book is still fun, and I love reading middle grade books – it’s not an inappropriate book or not-fun book for an adult to read. But the biggest draw is getting to see this science idol.”

Bill Nye the Science Guy and co-author Gregory Mone the Writing Guy will be visiting the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse next Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available as of press time, but are selling fast. Contact the bookstore at (818) 790-2037 to secure a spot now.

  Charly Shelton