The Mystery of the Periodic Table

by Benjamin D. Wiker, Jeanne Bendick (Illustrator), Ted Schluenderfritz (Illustrator)

Leads the reader on a delightful and absorbing journey through the ages, on the trail of the elements of the Periodic Table as we know them today. He introduces the young reader to people like Von Helmont, Boyle, Stahl, Priestly, Cavendish, Lavoisier, and many others, all incredibly diverse in personality and approach, who have laid the groundwork for a search that is still unfolding to this day. The first part of Wiker's witty and solidly instructive presentation is most suitable to middle school age, while the later chapters are designed for ages 12-13 and up, with a final chapter somewhat more advanced. Illustrated by Jeanne Bendick and Ted Schluenderfritz.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, History, School, Chemistry, Childrens, Science Nature

151 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now you have to understand Chemistry was like my least favorite subject ever in school. Not big on Science of any sort, Chemistry was the worst of all.

This week I was cleaning out our back room and going through old homeschooling books and papers. When I found The Mystery of the Periodic Table I couldn’t remember ever having read it.

The back book cover reads, ‘written for middle school age, with later chapters designed for ages 12-13 and up.’ Yours truly is the ‘and up.’

Benjamin D. Walker has taken the Periodic Table as we know it today and proposed the question, “How did this come about?” Good question! Kind of like the Bible, it wasn’t just dropped down from the sky ready made. It took centuries and the combined efforts of many people from all over the world working together – and even sometimes against each other – to produce the finished result.

This book is part science, part history, which made it more palatable for someone like me. I still can’t say I got all of it, but I learned quite a bit and enjoyed the journey ... not bad for someone who never liked Chemistry.

I’m wrapping this copy up for my chemical engineer daughter for Christmas. She gets her brains from her father.

[grllopez ~ with freedom and books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an awesome little book about chemists from the ancients until the present and how the discovery of chemistry and elements became the organized Table of Elements. Easy to read and understand. Could even be used in high school as an introduction to chemistry.

[Gina Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a year 6 AmblesideOnline science book and I felt like it was a very good introduction to chemistry as well as covering the history of the periodic table. I think next time I have a student in year 6 I will read this book with them so we can discuss it as we go. My student this year has done OK with it but not awesome. I think she would have gotten a lot more out of it if I had made time to do it together.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that there is a "Spoilers" button here. Guess what? Mendeleev did it, but with lots of accomplices, including one or two after the fact.

I thought I was going to skim this book to evaluate it for my 9th grader who is taking Chemistry this year. But I couldn't skim. I had to read the whole thing. Bad news is it added a week to my planned homeschool curriculum because I now want him to read the whole thing, too. This book is wonderful.

Other homeschool parents: as we read, we're replicating some of the labs in chronological order. I want him to have a good foundation of how we got to modern chemistry. So many texts START with the periodic table, which to me is almost criminal.

Joseph Black's 1761 experiment with the rising temperature of water as it starts to boil is a great introduction to lab equipment and patient observation. Cavendish's 1776 experiment where he isolated "inflammable air" (hydrogen) is a great intro to lab safety and how to write lab reports. And you make water!

[Marsha B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the “peek into the window” of chemistry this book allowed us. The stories told reinforce the fact that science is an ongoing field of study. Many have put their lives into what has thus far been discovered, and even the ones that got things wrong greatly contributed to what became the Periodic Table that we know. I think that may be what I appreciate most; failures of one became a stepping stone or ladder rung for the success of others and their humility through discovery made it all possible.

[Lydia Tyndall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as a part of Guest Hollow Chemistry in the Kitchen curriculum. Interesting book, although I did have some trouble tracking with it at times.

[Ava Giuliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last chapter was a little confusing, but still pretty good.

[Lydia]

This was a very well written and interesting book, as far as school books go. Based on the fact that science is my least favorite subject, that's pretty good.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jacob read for AO Y6. Learned a lot, last chapter was the best...krb 5/31/19

[Brian]

A very solid book from an inconspicuous Christian company, with a very subtle and not at all overplayed theme: that scientists are often wrong when they make a breakthrough. As a layman, I appreciate this.

[Mary Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I enjoyed the book. It helped to read it together for Year 6. There is a Jacques Louis David painting of Lavoisier and his wife that places a name with a face if a reader is interested.

[gloriabluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lively, engaging overview of the origins and gradual development of the Periodic Table, as well as the many detour and setbacks. An excellent view of science as something that builds upon generations of discoveries, errors, wonder, and persistence.

[Cristina Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought that the history of the periodic table of elements could be presented in a compelling and understandable way, such that I was not able to put down the book?

[Gina Notes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

We read this book for our chemistry unit this year, and it really dove deep into not only the mystery but the history of the periodic table of elements and how several discoveries and even false discoveries led ultimately to the periodic table we know today. The information was broken down very well, but I will say it was a LOT to digest for a relatively short book, and I think my kids were a little on the young side for it, though they did still get a lot out of it. I don’t regret reading it with them, and think it was a good introduction to chemistry while also providing tons of background history to science and the research process.

[Melisa Grimshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book! It’s interesting and easy to digest as it takes you through the history of how we discovered and classified the elements. I learned several things that I never knew before. There is some outdated info in the last chapter—specifically some elements have been renamed, but that’s the nature of scientific and it’s still a worthwhile read.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was part of AO Year 6 Science. What a fabulous breakdown of the ideas that came together to bring us the Periodic Table of Elements. So thankful for the wisdom behind the curriculum that helped make this in to a fascinating and at times riveting topics. It did read like a mystery that we found we wanted to solve.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo! I wish I had read this year ago.
This book filled in so many lacunae for me as Wiker answered so many questions I had wondered about and that middle school students have asked me. I now have a better understanding of the Periodic Table and how each scientist contributed to its development. Especially cool was the explanation of the elements after Neptunium, which are man made.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prior to the final two chapters, I would have rated the book 4 stars because the scientific history was very interesting. The last two chapters were too technical, especially as a read aloud. I still recommend reading the book, solo or to middle schoolers, but rate it 3 stars overall.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good overview of beginning history of chemistry--written at a Middle School level. It was useful, good illustrations, just not extraordinary. . .

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the people who progressed the study of chemistry and why the periodic table is arranged the way it is. Mission accomplished for this author, I would think!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my 4th grader. I still don't get it! The book itself was good, and accessible for young people. Chemistry just makes my head spin.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my 2nd and 5th grade boys and we really enjoyed seeing the pace of discovery throughout history.

[Ella Moody · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was one of those educational books that wasn't 100% boring but wasn't all that interesting either.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I wish I had known this in HS chemistry

[Jean Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for AO yr 6. An engaging history of the periodic table.

[Adele Lorow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good starter for my chemistry course.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really well written. Especially for a kid’s nonfiction book. The author ingeniously describes the creation of the periodic table as a journey through the history of alchemy into science. My kids loved exploring all the mistakes that were made as well as the successes. We now have a running joke about some of the fake elements that were postulated about. I think anyone that has to take a chemistry course should read this book. It breaks down the science into an interesting conversation instead of just a series of facts. Would work well for middle school and up.

[meme]

This book leads the reader on a delightful and absorbing journey through the ages, on the trail of the elements of the Periodic Table as we know them today. Introduces people like Von Helmont, Boyle, Stahl, Priestly, Cavendish, Lavoisier, and many others, all incredibly diverse in personality and approach, who have laid the groundwork for a search that is still unfolding today.

The first part of the book is most suitable for 10+, while the later chapters are designed for ages 12-13 and up, with a final chapter that is somewhat more advanced. People who have never taken chemistry will find the book very helpful. There's loads of interesting information. Book reports or chapter assignments can come from this book.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like what I wanted "The Disappearing Spoon" to be but still not what I wanted. This one was much shorter and better organized; I closed it feeling like I'd learned a bit. And I was entertained, which is the real reason I read these sort of books. If I wanted to learn chemistry I'd pick up a textbook.

That sounded sarcastic but really wasn't--a well written textbook can be eminently readable. And so was this. And I now remember what an isotope is.

It's a pretty good history and recommended for budding young chemists who want to go back and see how we figured all this out. Definitely a sokay.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery of the Periodic Table ended up being an interesting blend of 2 parts history, 1 part biography, and all chemistry. It takes the reader from the earliest days of metalwork through alchemy and all the disproven theories of early chemists right up to Mendeleev's periodic table as we know it today. It is marketed as being a middle school aged book, and although I think some of the chemical equations go over my own students' heads a bit, there's still something there for them to get out of it. It's a worthy addition to a science library.