book cover

The Element in the Room: Investigating the Atomic Ingredients that Make Up Your Home

by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Lauren Humphrey

Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+

Published by Laurence King, 2018

  • Interactive
  • Non-fiction

About this book

Professor Ohms, a scientific detective, takes you on a journey of discovery around the periodic table. He aims to provide everyone with the knowledge and ability to find the element in the room.

Ohms starts by talking about how the elements were created, drawing up a list of suspects (the periodic table) to help you on your quest. Going through the elements one-by-one, the professor provides vital statistics that will help you track them down in your own home. By introducing fun and simple experiments to illustrate what the elements can do, Professor Ohms brings the periodic table to life.

This is a great book for encouraging children to enhance what they learn in science at school. For fans of Horrible Science, this is a brilliant addition to helping to learn more about the periodic table. It’s packed with so many weird and wonderful facts. With a clear and straightforward layout, it will appeal to children who are both starting to learn about the elements and those who want to take their learning to the next level.

With comic strips appearing between the facts, it also encourages less confident readers to become more enthusiastic about reading. This book is perfect for any aspiring scientists (or detectives)!

About the author

Mike Barfield is a writer, poet, performer and award-winning cartoonist. He originally trained as a scientist before switching to writing jokes for all ages. Mike has worked in TV, radio, books, newspapers and magazines – as well as in schools, libraries, museums, and science festivals across the country. While performing to schools and festivals, he can often be found dressed as a giant housefly.

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