The Periodic Table introduces budding chemists to the world of the elements as it's never been seen before. Designed to resemble popular networking Web sites, the pages of this book feature "homepages" for each of the chemical elements -- complete with witty and informative profiles written by the elements themselves, plus a personally chosen picture.
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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The scope and qualities of this unique book are summed up better in its subtitle than in its title. While Dingle does little to explain the periodic table, he shows all the elements of the periodic table on a chart with very original graphics and spotlights 64 of the elements for closer examination on single pages or double-page spreads. Placed against a list including an element's symbol, atomic number, atomic weight, color, standard state, and classification, the element introduces itself in one, two, or three cheeky but informative paragraphs that focus on its qualities and uses. Each presentation ends with the element's date of discovery or earliest known use, its density, its melting point, its boiling point, and a digitally assisted color illustration with a distinctively Japanese, cartoonlike quality. The endpapers feature a glossary and an illustrated foldout poster of the periodic table. The quirky, idiosyncratic artwork and the unusual voice make this little book an appealing choice for introducing elements of the periodic table. Phelan, Carolyn
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"I love science... It's great to see a book making it accessible for young children. Science should be fun." Damien Hirst"
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Periodic Table, Elements with Style! Is a charming little book that serves as a nice chemistry introduction. The book is most appropriate for kids working at about a 4th grade level or higher. It's aimed at upper elementary to middle school kids, but would also make a handy reference guide or review for high schoolers who are not overly familiar with the periodic table.
This book is about 100 pages long. Each element has a first person description offered in a "my space" style narrative. Strontium, for instance says, " I'm Scottish, named after the town of Strontian where I was discovered. You may see me as a shy, run-of-the-mill, silver-colored metal, but I've got a few surprises up my sleeve..." Magnesium brags, " I'm sparky, and I always cause a reaction!" Barium's page declares, "...I'm a real rocker and more reactive than calcium." These sometimes silly descriptions do provide useful information about the various elements, and make the task of memorization easier.
Accompanying cartoon type illustrations give a visual presence to each element. Gold resembles a ghost from the old Pac-Man game, standing high on a pedestal. Lead appears as a warrior dressed in Spartan style. My personal favorite is sulfur, who is quite absurdly shown as a cute little girl dressed in yellow! My seven year old daughter found the simply rendered drawings to be highly amusing and they helped her form an identity for each element.
The book is organized into sections about hydrogen, the alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals, the transition elements, the boron elements, the carbon elements, the nitrogen elements, the oxygen elements, the halogen elements, the noble gases, the lanthanides and actinides, and the transactinides. A handy glossary in the back explains terminology such as gamma ray, isotope, and catalyst. The bottom of each element's page contains facts about date of discovery or earliest known use, as well as density, melting point, and boiling point.
It's cute, it's clever, and very enticing to the youngster interested in science. A great resource!
This book is about 100 pages long. Each element has a first person description offered in a "my space" style narrative. Strontium, for instance says, " I'm Scottish, named after the town of Strontian where I was discovered. You may see me as a shy, run-of-the-mill, silver-colored metal, but I've got a few surprises up my sleeve..." Magnesium brags, " I'm sparky, and I always cause a reaction!" Barium's page declares, "...I'm a real rocker and more reactive than calcium." These sometimes silly descriptions do provide useful information about the various elements, and make the task of memorization easier.
Accompanying cartoon type illustrations give a visual presence to each element. Gold resembles a ghost from the old Pac-Man game, standing high on a pedestal. Lead appears as a warrior dressed in Spartan style. My personal favorite is sulfur, who is quite absurdly shown as a cute little girl dressed in yellow! My seven year old daughter found the simply rendered drawings to be highly amusing and they helped her form an identity for each element.
The book is organized into sections about hydrogen, the alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals, the transition elements, the boron elements, the carbon elements, the nitrogen elements, the oxygen elements, the halogen elements, the noble gases, the lanthanides and actinides, and the transactinides. A handy glossary in the back explains terminology such as gamma ray, isotope, and catalyst. The bottom of each element's page contains facts about date of discovery or earliest known use, as well as density, melting point, and boiling point.
It's cute, it's clever, and very enticing to the youngster interested in science. A great resource!
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The best thing about this book is that it makes a subject that MOST adults (let alone children) consider to be completely dry, extremely interesting!!
As I read through this book, I was struck by how much it reads like some of my kids Pokemon books - the drawings of the elements have a Japanese anime look to them, and they are grouped in very Pokemon-like groups, "The Alkali Earth Metals" (once thought to be harmless and boring, until they were released from Oxygen, at which point they became unruly), "The Transition Elements" (a motley crew of rednecks), etcetera.
And each individual element has a catchy description, a cool drawing, and the same 10 basic bullet points facts for each one (symbol, color, classification, etc..) This presentation makes the information very accessible to most children. It would actually make excellent information for trading or flash cards.
In fact, I think the author could make a great educational game based on this book. Kids could easily learn and retain some of the fascinating facts about different elements if it was presented in the context of a game..
As I read through this book, I was struck by how much it reads like some of my kids Pokemon books - the drawings of the elements have a Japanese anime look to them, and they are grouped in very Pokemon-like groups, "The Alkali Earth Metals" (once thought to be harmless and boring, until they were released from Oxygen, at which point they became unruly), "The Transition Elements" (a motley crew of rednecks), etcetera.
And each individual element has a catchy description, a cool drawing, and the same 10 basic bullet points facts for each one (symbol, color, classification, etc..) This presentation makes the information very accessible to most children. It would actually make excellent information for trading or flash cards.
In fact, I think the author could make a great educational game based on this book. Kids could easily learn and retain some of the fascinating facts about different elements if it was presented in the context of a game..
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What a fresh and original look at the periodic table! The book is compact in size, and gives a brief synopsis, including most the data from the periodic table such as the symbol, atomic number and weight, its standard state, color and classification.
The book is organized by periodic table group, the graphic at the top of the page shows each element's location on the table. The elements introduce themselves with a sense of humor and share facts about their appearance and uses.
Zinc, symbol Zn, says, "Here to protect and serve, I'm more useful than you'd zinc! I'm a very sociable element that's always happy to mix in with other metals."
The illustrations that represent each element make the book. Silicon is a computer chip/centipede while Aluminum is a stylized airplane. They evoke Japanese anime characters and the poster of the periodic table bound into the back of the book remids me of the Pokemon poster that used to hang in my entling's bedroom. I found the drawings utterly compelling.
The book invites casual reading as well as cover to cover absorption.
The book is organized by periodic table group, the graphic at the top of the page shows each element's location on the table. The elements introduce themselves with a sense of humor and share facts about their appearance and uses.
Zinc, symbol Zn, says, "Here to protect and serve, I'm more useful than you'd zinc! I'm a very sociable element that's always happy to mix in with other metals."
The illustrations that represent each element make the book. Silicon is a computer chip/centipede while Aluminum is a stylized airplane. They evoke Japanese anime characters and the poster of the periodic table bound into the back of the book remids me of the Pokemon poster that used to hang in my entling's bedroom. I found the drawings utterly compelling.
The book invites casual reading as well as cover to cover absorption.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Children`s Book
Mu 11 year old grandson loves this book. I am, so glad I bought it for him. He thinks he is "cool" knowing the elements and their symbols.
Published 5 days ago by HELEN TURTON
2.0 out of 5 stars
Much Too Basic
I expected these cards to have more information about each element than they did. They really didn't help my 6th grader learn the periodic table of elements or prepare for her... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Maxine Council
5.0 out of 5 stars
Basherrific
This series is absolutely amazing. I'm so glad to see a series of thoughtful, well laid out and fun to read books that are setting the stage for children to learn successfully. Read more
Published 27 days ago by jeanniejujube
3.0 out of 5 stars
not for very young children due to mature references
some of the references are too mature.. like the reference to the element to kill during a execution small children may be frightened
Published 1 month ago by haydn
4.0 out of 5 stars
chemistry at it's best
Good book to start young students down the road of chemistry. Interesting read for all age levels. Funny, entertaining and yet educational.
Published 1 month ago by Len E. Etter
5.0 out of 5 stars
My child loves it!
I purchased this for my right-brained kid who learns through visual spatial style. It's colorful, humorous and it's written in a way that elementary leveled kids can understand... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rose Cohen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works for Me!
As a not-so-scientific home school mom, I found this book to be quite helpful, even for my teens. Even though it does omit some elements, what has been explained is done so with a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by H. Osborne
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Book for a Brain
Love the illustrations. More for entertainmentbut definitely a great place to start. Only con is all the elements dont have a page.
Published 2 months ago by Lena
5.0 out of 5 stars
this series of books are fantastic
My kids love these books. They take subjects and concepts that are advanced, difficult, and may be considered boring by some and make them easy to learn through the use of humor... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Anne Hull
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for a juvenile interested in the elements
I was a science teacher for 37 years and it's a wonderful thing when a juvenile gets interested in and begins asking questions about the elements of the periodic table. Read more
Published 5 months ago by D. Lovelace
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