CHEMISTORIES

Mourshed presents a collection of whimsical, colorful tales about the elements of the periodic table.

The young author presents a new way of memorizing the periodic table’s various features by presenting the elements as characters in a handful of lighthearted works. The book includes various chemistry-centered poems, as well as technical drawings, such as one of the makeup of an atom; photos, including images of an electron microscope and such famous figures as Marie Curie; and random facts, including the process by which new elements are named. Mourshed’s colorful illustrations appear throughout. The bulk of the book, though, consists of short stories, beginning with a tale of a scientist named R.T. Fishul, who longs to discover a new element in her makeshift basement lab. She doesn’t realize that the elements had long ago agreed to pretend they weren’t alive in order to escape human suspicion—and just as R.T. is about to combine Krypton Kate and Bismuth Beth in her cyclotron machine, they clue her in. The elements and the scientist come to an arrangement, and R.T. is able to create Ununennium (the real-life temporary name for a yet-to-be-discovered element). Another story follows the adventures of Helium, who struggles to make friends (that is, bond with other elements) until he discovers his ability to fly and glow. The last story features 9-year-old Maysa, who gets transported into Chemistry Land and helps elements stop the evil Fluorine from taking over by creating “an extra-positive force” to “knock all of the electrons loose from Fluorine’s outer shells.” The book concludes with general chemistry information, including a short bio of Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, the Russian chemist who created the first periodic table.

With an unmistakable sense of playfulness, the book blends facts and fantasy in a way that may appeal to even the most reluctant of science students, largely thanks to Mourshed’s vivid and adorable images in which marker and color strokes are clearly visible, lending them a rustic, hand-drawn feel. Although Mourshed helpfully points out when certain aspects of her stories are fictional (“My imagination. Totally Not Real”), readers encountering the periodic table for the first time may still encounter some confusion at times. Still, the stories themselves are informative, and undeniably funny in places. When Helium begins floating in the air in front of the whole school, for example, he sees his teacher, Ms. Rubidium, “running away to hide in the kitchen. Helium didn’t take this personally because rubidium is a highly reactive element that panics quickly.” Readers will feel as if they’re stepping into the mind of a child during the Chemistry Land scenes, which makes sense, considering that the author is only in seventh grade; landmarks such as the Electron Eatery, where atoms can enjoy “molecular meatballs, atomic avocado toast, or chemical cannolis” showcase the youthful sense of fun. Mourshed has compiled an inspiring assortment of stories, poems, and art that manages to help explain a small part of the world around us in a way that will appeal to kids and adults alike.

A unique and engaging set of science tales with a distinct sense of fun.