Chemistry rules our world. In a nutshell, “Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes” (Khan Academy). From the states of matter to chemical reactions to thermodynamics, chemistry is part and parcel of our daily lives. Cooking is one great real-world example, where we are all chemists without probably even realising or thinking about it! This selection of chemistry books provides hands-on ways to explore and learn about chemistry as well as deeper dives into the subject.
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Big Chemistry Experiments for Little Kids
by Dr Megan Olivia Hall PhD MEd (Author), Tanya Emelyanova (Illustrator)
Review: Bright, colourful and packed full of exciting experiments, this book is the perfect way to get young readers excited about chemistry. Dr Hall begins by directly addressing the adult scientists reading the book before turning her interest to the kid scientists. She explains the scientific method to them simply before diving into the experiments. Each experiment uses commonplace items and features images to accompany the written instructions. A helpful “messy meter”, questions to prompt discussion and a brief scientific explanation support adults helping children carry out the experiments. Highly accessible and kid-friendly, this book comes highly recommended.
Recommended Reading Age: 3 to 5 years old. Whilst written for a younger audience, in my opinion many older students would enjoy carrying out the experiments, too.
The Kitchen Pantry Scientist Chemistry for Kids: Science Experiments and Activities Inspired by Awesome Chemists, Past and Present
by Liz Lee Heinecke (Author), Kelly Anne Dalton (Illustrator)
Review: This edition of The Kitchen Pantry Scientist contains a perfect mixture of the history of chemistry with hands-on experiments inspired by the discoveries of the featured chemists. Gorgeously illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton using a muted colour palette, the accompanying experiments feature clear step-by-step written instructions and photographs. Divided into 25 labs, each lab ends by explaining the chemistry involved in the experiment. Having introduced readers to the chemist and their achievements, Liz Heinecke highlights how their discoveries still influence our world today. Beautiful to look at and packed full of information, leafing through this book makes you want to find the materials and experiment. Perfect for tweaking readers’ curiosity.
Suggested Reading Age: 6 to 12 years old.
See Inside Atoms and Molecules
by Rosie Dickins (Author), Shaw Nielsen (Illustrator)
Review: With over 90 flaps to lift and peek under, this Usborne STEM book makes learning about atoms and molecules fun. Appealing illustrations bring the world of molecules and atoms to life in an inviting way. Contents include what atoms are, how they join together, the states of matter, chemical reactions, where atoms come from and the periodic table. Coming in at 16 pages long, this book manages to convey a lot of information in manageable bite-size pieces in a short space. An ideal way to draw readers in.
Watch below to see inside the book.
Suggested Reading Age: 7 to 12 years old.
What’s Chemistry All About?
by Alex Frith (Author), Lisa Jane Gillespie (Author), Adam Larkum (Illustrator)
Review: Accessible and inviting, What’s Chemistry All About? introduces the discipline in an age-appropriate manner. The text explains more complex aspects in an easy-to-understand way accompanied by copious, appealing illustrations. The book is divided into six parts. These parts address key areas such as “What’s the world made of?”, “Our chemical universe” and “How is chemistry useful?”. Atoms and molecules, the periodic table, chemical reactions, chemistry and the human body and a brief history of chemistry all feature. A link to a curated list of websites enables readers to explore further. This is perfect reading for upper primary children and older students wanting to refresh their memories.
Click here to see inside the book.
Suggested Reading Age: 9 to 10 years old. In my opinion, this would still be of interest to students up to 12 years old.
Click HERE to see some great Periodic Table books.
The Dynamic World of Chemical Reactions with Max Axiom, Super Scientist
by Agnieszka Biskup (Author), Amber J. Keyser (Author), Cynthia Martin (Illustrator)
Review: This is a perfect read for those students who shy away from typical-looking chemistry books. Presented in graphic novel format, before they know it, readers are learning all about chemistry as they follow along with the very cool Max Axiom, super scientist. Max explains matters, atoms and molecules, reactions and changing matter in an engaging way, making the topic matter easy to understand. Scientific terms and facts are further explored in offset boxes that stand out from the rest of the page. End material features writing prompts, quizzes and links to additional resources. This graphic novel makes for an appealing introduction.
Suggested Reading Age: 8 to 14 years old.
The Chemistry Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
by DK
Review: Coming in at a hefty 336 pages, this DK book takes a deep dive into the world of chemistry. Written in accessible language and packed full of facts, anecdotes and illustrations, this makes a perfect revision tool for students and an engaging nonfiction book for interested readers to dip in and out of. Clearly presented on the page, interesting graphics, charts and highlighted quotes, break up the text ensuring that readers are not overwhelmed by the content matter. Divided into sections, readers can explore: Practical Chemistry; The Age of Alchemy; Enlightenment Chemistry; The Chemical Revolution; The Industrial Age; The Machine Age; The Nuclear Age and lastly, A Changing World. A super reference tool, this would make a great addition to any school or home library.
Suggested Reading Age: Older teens and beyond.
Happy Reading!
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Do YOU know any super chemistry books to add to this list? If yes, please leave a recommendation below .