The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry
Larry Gonick and Craig Criddle
New York, NY: HarperCollins Publisher 2005
250 pp. $16.95 (paper)
# ISBN-10: 0060936770
# ISBN-13: 978-0060936778

Imagine the day your students actively seek to read about chemistry the way they read Marvel’s Superman!

The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry by Larry Gonick and Craig Criddle is a black and white comic book that taps all the major topics taught in high school and college chemistry, but with a difference. Humorous drawings and dialogues between various characters in the book grab the attention of students more effectively than a standard textbook.

The book begins with the basic concepts of chemistry, atoms and molecules, and ends with the most complex, organic chemistry. In twelve chapters, each organized around a key topic; Gonick and Criddle introduce novices to complex concepts with humor and style. The chapter titles are often good hooks for the content, beginning with hidden ingredients; matter becomes electric, togetherness (bonding), (chemical reactions, heat of reaction, matter in a state, solutions, reaction rate and equilibrium, acid basics, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and organic chemistry). This book can function as a comprehensive review for summative assessments such as unit tests or final exams. It can also be used as supplemental material while each topic is being covered.

As can be seen in the sample illustration below, the topic of noble gasses is craftily explained and accompanied by a drawing of Princess Argon who will not interact with anyone, thus acting “inert.” With short sentences and succinct lessons, the students are more likely to stay focused on the topic than when reading a textbook. Furthermore, this book can help develop the English language abilities of the reader by providing an entertaining environment for learning science through illustrations that aid in remembering the meaning of key words.

The strength of The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry is its focus on scientific concepts plus the history behind each concept. Each concept is often introduced with a multicultural perspective, including scientists from around the world and their contributions to science.

The cartoon guide is not designed as a stand-alone or self-teaching source of chemistry but it is an effective and enriching supplement. The comical approach makes this book entertaining for adolescents and adults alike.

Image Courtesy of Larry Gonick (November 16, 2007)