Perkin’s Perfect Purple: How a Boy

This true story follows chemistry student William Perkin as he works toward a medical breakthrough and instead discovers a new purple hue. The account explains that he used the scientific method to develop a new way to create the color purple, which had previously been available only to a privileged few. Perkin’s discovery also fulfills Queen Victoria’s wish for a genuinely purple gown. Historical and scientific back matter expands the story.