Electric Life: The Hidden Radiance of Everything

by Sander Funneman, Peter Brouwers (illustrator)

“A jolting perspective changer.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Did you know that bees charge themselves like batteries? That frogs float on magnetic fields, and seals use radar? This groundbreaking nonfiction graphic novel explores the vital but often unexpected roles that electricity and magnetism play in the natural world.

From subatomic particles to our solar system, electromagnetic forces have long formed the building blocks of our reality. Yet the full extent of their impact is only just beginning to come to light. Electric Life invites readers on a breathtaking journey into this unseen world, revealing how electricity and magnetism affect not only humans but also our planet and the universe at large.

Genres: Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Science, Comics

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

So interesting! This graphic novel delves into the role that electromagnetism plays in the universe, from insects, to microbes, to plants, to the cosmos and more. This is the first science non fiction adult graphic novel I’ve read and it made me realize how good of a medium it is for science communication.

It was incredible to learn the extent of the impact electric and magnetic fields have on our lives and I’m definitely checking out the suggested reading the author shared at the end of the book.

The art was relatively simple but it perfectly conveyed the message it intended to, and it made it very easy to understand. I hope more science authors choose graphic novels as a medium in the future!

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Electric Life by Sander Funneman was an interesting book about how electricity affects our day to day. I love this trend in blending art and nonfiction topics into graphic novels. It is so much easier to digest information when it is presented in an attractive manner - i.e. with gorgeously made illustrations!


The information given about electricity and magnetism is eye-opening and leaves the reader wanting to learn more! The images presented are eye-candy which keep our eyes moving through the pages. Although the information presented is beyond my elementary class, I would 100% recommend this book for an advanced middle school, high school or college class! You could pick it up to read even if you are just wanting to learn more about the world around you.

The author Sander Funneman does a great job merging information and beautiful graphics.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley!

[AnnaLePanna PatatboerMozart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I think this is an amazing story to light a fire in the hearts of many scientist and science enthousiasts alike. Secondly, the art style is is really pretty and the overal theme of the novel is thrilling.
Even though some parts of the story left me wondering and craving more information, I can really appreciate the essence of what the story is trying to do: make people wonder and connect people in their facination of the natural world. The book really highlighted some themes in the field of biology that I myself as an biologist had never heard of before in scientific context, but really made sense to me intuitifly. What makes me even more exited is that I gave this book as a present to my parents as a gift and it made them so exited that they have actually done some extra digging in the science part themselves.
I think this book has the potential to raise an entire generation of (amateur) biologist and I am definitely here to support it!

[Paige (pagebypaigebooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if the future isn’t just a blank canvas that humans simply write upon? What if the future is moving toward us, from the potential realms of energy into the physical realms of matter?”

I'd like to thank MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.

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This was an interesting read! It was my first non-fiction graphic novel, and it definitely opened my eyes to the benefits of reading non-fiction content in this format. I had a great time exploring the various roles that electromagnetism plays in nature. The artwork was cute, easy to follow, and helped to explain the various science concepts. I also appreciated that the author included further recommended reading for those interested in finding out more. I recommend this to young and older readers alike who are interested in learning about the topic but are hesitant to dive into a textbook or full-length non-fiction book.

[Kristina Variano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, however I could not tell what was science and what was speculation and the author’s hope for the future. There were so many cool revelations, but you never knew if it was fact. If the author wrote that into the story then it would have been a much better read. The art and colors were very nice!

[Iwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maanden deed ik over deze graphic novel.Terwijl de ruim 250 pagina's soepel getekend, prachtig ingekleurd zijn en volgepropt met feiten over het belang van elektriciteit voor het leven van mensen, dieren, bomen en planten.

Is dit een graphic novel, vroeg ik me na de laatste pagina af? Het is een stripboek, dat zeker. Maar in een 'novel' een roman verwacht ik een verhaallijn en karakterontwikkeling van een of meer personen. Die heb ik in dit boek helaas niet kunnen vinden.

Was dit boek niet nog krachtiger (en magnetischer) als de naamloze, bebaarde, witte man in spijkerbroek meer was geweest dan een presentator van elektro-magnetische verschijnselen?

Tegelijkertijd vond ik het een interessante ervaring die zeker 3 tientjes waard was.

[HeksieMiek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable!!!
The insights, the connections, the wisdom…
Everything is connected on so many levels, mindblowing!

[Red Goddess Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science combined with a gorgeous graphic novel?! YES YES YES!!!🙌 I had no idea that such a thing existed but I am in love with this new genre. If I was a teacher this would be in every classroom! No matter what age you are learning really fascinating facts about our world and energy was like taking the best crash college course EVER! If you’re not interested in the subject matter, just pick this one up anyways for the beautiful and delightful artwork that had my heart swelling with happiness.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fun and informative nonfiction graphic novel, research journalist Sander Funneman shares a variety of ways that electricity and magnetism affect the natural world. The charming color illustrations by Peter Brouwers add visual interest and aid understanding. Chapters include discussion of electromagnetism in insects, microbes, plants, humans, lightning, ecosystems, and the cosmos, and how further research in these areas might be used in the future. There’s a nice summary at the end of each chapter.

I really enjoyed learning about scientific topics in this graphic novel format, and I kept wanting to share all the intriguing things I was learning. For example, did you know that some hornets produce silk that functions like a solar panel, converting sunlight to energy and regulating temperature in their cocoons? Scientists are trying to develop a similar silk to use for tents that would keep the internal temperature constant and provide electricity for light and other uses. How cool is that?

The back matter includes suggested reading and acknowledgements.

This book should appeal to teens and adults who want to learn about nature, physics, and how electromagnetism affects the natural world in a fun graphic format.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

[Red Goddess Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Where was this book or books like it when I was in school struggling to understand science? First, let’s start off with the beautiful art in this book which in itself was captivating enough. Each page took me minutes to look over just admiring the artistry. But it was in the breakdown of scientific literature that really held my attention. There was so much information here and yet so much mystery still to be uncovered. But with books, like this people can get sparked in their interest to learn about all those things that I wish I had learned during my schooling years. The many applications of energy alone give such hope for people to truly begin to understand and utilize the natural resources so generously surrounding our world and space. I don’t know if there are other books like this, but I will tell you as a reader and somebody who does not generally read graphic novels. I am inspired to look now for more interesting teachable books in this format and I highly recommend people of all ages do the same. What a beautiful gift this artist, and this author have given us here, Yy eternal gratitude.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funneman's note at the beginning that when all of this research was decidedly going to be turned into a book and someone suggested that it be a graphic novel, they did research on the kind of illustrator that would have the knowledge of science and the skill in art to be able to do it justice. Well boy, did this one! Brouwers was able to illustrate concepts of electricity in insects, the ecosystem, and humans in a way that helped visualize a confusing concept (for me at least and likely others) who are excited simply to learn about the "hidden radiance of everything". It made me think harder about the interactivity of a thing and it's environment.

A few key concepts or images and text that I was drawn to include one of the last spreads about the Iroquois nation in upstate New York (where I live) and how they think about their impact on the environment as the "seventh generation principle." And the other one was the Japanese folklore that there are more mushrooms to find after a lightning strike which is true-- exposing the soil for a "fraction of a second to a current similar to a lightning strike" is basically like doubling the harvest.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a digital review copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The illustrations are fantastic and the topics are interesting. There are some fascinating nuggets of information contained in this book. BUT (and this is a big one) some of the ideas presented as "fact" and given as definitive statements are incorrect, or at least not backed by solid scientific evidence. I'm willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt, though, and I hope that the misinformation in the book is more a result of simplifying ideas down too much, rather than regurgitating pop-science/pseudoscience articles and headlines without due diligence. I wish this book had an extensive bibliography, which is something I started looking for immediately. A book like this is incomplete without one.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing graphic novel about our natural world’s electric and magnetic influences they have on the world. And I don’t remember learning most of this when I was in science classes, but that was 20+ years ago!

Electricity and magnetism is all around us in the natural world. The chapter about solar activity affecting humans in so many ways is amazing to me. The amount of influence the sun and moon has on humans and the natural world is the most surprising.

I feel like this graphic novel should be in every high school and college science classroom. There is a lot of knowledge in this graphic novel. And the way it is presented is most appealing. With the vibrant colors, the ease of which the knowledge is given, this makes for a must-have reference for students and teachers. Although I will admit, some of those words are hard to pronounce!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested an ARC of this book on a total whim and I'm *so* glad that I did! The graphic novel format is perfect for making the scientific information accessible to the reader, and the art is beautifully vibrant and compelling.

I had only heard about a fraction of what Funneman describes here, and each chapter was filled with such cool information that I had no clue about. We are truly living an electric life in an electric world and many of us have no conscious clue.

Simply put, this is an awesome, fascinating read! It definitely makes me want to learn more about the topic, so I appreciated the suggested reading list at the back. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alexis Berman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for my Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

To be honest, I finished this book months ago. But the ARC did not have a full biography and honestly some of the science sounded a little far fetched to me. But there is an extensive bibliography at https://electriclifebook.com/ along with further reading, videos, and other research that contributed to the book. and unlike others nowadays, I really don't arge with science (although I remain a healthy skeptic in all things.) It might have been a higher rating but it is difficult to tell the audience for the book, with some information presented at a fun, lower level and other information at a high, complicated high level if that makes sense. 3.5 stars.

[Harry Brake · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is quite amazing to learn so much about the world that you are unaware of, especially when we are surrounded by so many environmental influences.

In Sander Funneman's graphic novel, every aspect of the world illustrates and breaks down in the simplest terms how natural electricity has always existed and coexists among humans, animals and the natural world.

It is an understatement to say that in realizing the existence of electricity in so many parts of the world, we are able to look at the world in totally different terms, and this could and should go a long way in shaping how we protect the world around us to keep these balances intact.

[K.C. Norton]

Truly do not feel qualified to rate this because my understanding of life science has so many huge gaps. Interesting reading, though I often wanted more explanation for certain statements. This book tried to cover a lot and often sacrificed depth for breadth, which was fine in some ways but I don’t feel like I absorbed everything this book had to offer. Still, very cool to read, beautiful illustrations, and an interesting dive into a wide range of study.

[Matthew Noe]

Booklist review pending

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

🪫Couldny get through this one, it’s sooo boring. No electricity, you could say.

[HadiDee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations. The narrative is basically. List of interesting facts. I’d say one to dip into and be amazed and surprised by rather than read cover to cover

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the electricity in every living thing and beyond. Highly recommended.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful for this book! So much enlightening and wonderful information in an excellent, easy, beautiful package. Thank you to you all who created this book!!!