This cute little book is designed ''to make learning
chemistry much easier and a whole lot more fun'', and it does exactly that. Its shape and size - almost pocketbook - set it apart from textbooks and will make it attractive to children. Aimed at pupils aged 10+, the text introduces many but not all of the elements. Each
element is covered in a double-page spread. On the left-hand
page is a 150-word introduction, written in the first person by US high school chemistry teacher Adrian Dingle, plus some physical data (density, melting point, boiling point and more). Each element''s personality is developed further by a funky cartoon-style character on the facing page, created by London-based artist Simon Basher. Chemistry teachers might use the book at the start of a Key Stage 3 lesson by reading the first-person introduction on ''today''s element'' and getting their students to work out to which element it refers. The
elements are presented in their Groups as we cross the Periodic Table
left to right so that
chapter one covers the alkali metals, and chapter three the transition elements. There is a useful glossary - 22 words explained - and an index which makes finding an element by its name, Group name or Group number easy. A Periodic Table poster populated by Basher''s colourful characters is also included.
More abstracts about the The Periodic Table: elements