How Do Molecules Stay Together?

July 1, 2019
The basics of chemistry are presented in a Q-and-A picture-book format for elementary-age readers. After a busy introductory spread explaining that chemistry is "all around us," the text dives right into questions: "Why do atoms seem invisible? Are they just really good at playing hide-and-seek?" On the following spread, the answer--"Hide-and-seek?!?! No way!"--is followed by two substantial paragraphs about atoms as the building blocks of life, "like real-life connector blocks," and the structure of atoms. This establishes a pattern in which silly questions are followed by lengthy answers; it goes on to describe how we tell different kinds of atoms apart, how molecules form, how positive and negative forces interact, how to recognize the three states of matter, and how chemical reactions work. Two final spreads use water and other common substances (such as coffee and ice cream) to illustrate how substances change states and instruct readers in how to read the periodic table of elements. The explanations throughout the book are uneven in clarity; the playful illustrations will entice some readers to return to the book until the concepts and vocabulary begin to sink in. Line drawings featuring diverse children and adults against graph-paper backgrounds present the information in multiple ways so that even readers who skip the text can glean some very basic ideas. A glossary, whose definitions may frustrate young readers with their dependence on other vocabulary words, rounds out the volume. A serviceable early introduction. (Informational picture book. 8-12)

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September 15, 2019
Grades 3-5 STEM topics are hot right now, and these informative new books from the How Do? series (2 new titles) address broad scientific fields in a playful way. The books feature silly cartoon illustrations that may appeal to readers but often overwhelm the text on the page. It doesn't help that the font is small and looks a bit amateurish. Silly, but not especially funny, questions and answers introduce each topic. If readers can get past these distractions, though, they will be richly rewarded. The main content in these books is quite engaging. The information, presented casually, goes somewhat beyond the basics of each scientific field without presuming prior knowledge. How Do Molecules Stay Together? deals with some sophisticated chemistry concepts, but Hayes draws an analogy between a menu of ice cream flavors and the Periodic Table of Elements to make a difficult topic more palatable. In the back matter, a glossary and various infographics and diagrams round out each book. It is unfortunate that the look of the books does not better match the high-tech information they contain, but the heart of the books remains educational and interesting.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)