This is a gorgeous book for the science lover in your life. Each and every 12 x 12 page is filled with color photographs and riveting descriptions of the different elements of the periodic table. Each element is described by your typical facts: atomic number, atomic weight, state of being, boiling point, melting point, percentage in the universe, percentage in humans, etc. Then a detailed description with real life examples and trivia are also given. For example, Mercury was used in making hats, baby teething cream in the Victorian era, and red pigment in paint.

The text is color coordinated by groups making it easy to navigate. There is a brief introduction to elements in general and the discoveries of the elements. Then the book is broken down into three main sections: Fiery Elements – including alkali metals and alkaline earth metals; Dominant Metals – including transition metals, poor metals, metalloids, lathanoids, and actinoids; and Nonmetals & Gases – including nonmetals, halogens, and noble gases.

This book is truly fascinating and will occupy inquisitive readers for hours as they discover more about the world around them. It is a great reference book that will spark further questions and investigation.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Scholastic Press (A Scholastic Imprint)

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore: None

Sex/Nudity:  None

Note:  The text of this book was not read in its’ entirety due to the length of the text. However, enough was read to gain an understanding of the feel for the book.

Mature Subject Matter:

None

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None