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Super Simple Chemistry: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide

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A fantastic aid for coursework, homework, and studying for tests, this comprehensive guide covers Next Generation Science Standards, for grades 6-10 and will have you ready for tests and exams in no time.

Each topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts crystal clear, and bring the science to life. A large central image explains the idea visually and each topic is summed up on a single page, helping children to quickly get up to speed and really understand how chemistry works.

Information boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics and for further studying, a handy "Key Facts" box provides a simple summary you can check back on later.

With clear, concise coverage of all the core topics, Super Simple Chemistry is the perfect accessible guide to chemistry for children, supporting classwork, and making studying for exams the easiest it's ever been.

288 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2020

39 people are currently reading
214 people want to read

About the author

D.K. Publishing

9,067 books2,089 followers
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

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5 stars
39 (54%)
4 stars
23 (31%)
3 stars
7 (9%)
2 stars
2 (2%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Alicia Bayer.
Author 10 books251 followers
May 26, 2020
This is an excellent, affordable, comprehensive guide to chemistry that really makes it understandable for kids, teens and even adults. Full color photos and illustrations explain concepts like the scientific method, ethical issues, atoms, the elements, balancing equations and much more. Each concept gets just a page or two, but it does a great job of actually explaining them in this time. Priced at around $20, it's an excellent resource. I may purchase it for our homeschool when it is released in June.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
Profile Image for Randy Wilson.
499 reviews9 followers
May 4, 2025
Unfortunately, I got very frustrated trying to learn science and math as a teenager and I gave up trying until recently. I used this book as a series of drills to provide foundational knowledge of chemistry. The book does a good job laying out many of the key concepts but didn’t help me to understand how different aspects of chemistry interacted.

Topics that are importantly conceptual like quantitative chemistry or organic chemistry are presented as a cluster of subtopics and not as way of thinking about chemistry. It is like I have a bunch of flash cards that I memorized but don’t know how they inform one another.

And while I support a scientific approach to the environment and the climate, I don’t think a layperson’s guide to chemistry is the place to shoehorn concepts about recycling and renewables.
Profile Image for Catie LeMar.
880 reviews12 followers
May 4, 2020
As a high school science teacher, I would love to utilize this book in my classroom. Each page is a separate topic. Topics are organized together so the content builds upon itself. The book gives the most basic facts that a general chemistry would need to be familiar with. I do provide notes for students, and various activities through worksheets, videos, and labs, This book simplifies many of the topics and makes them more understandable for the students. I saw many ways of approaching a topic that I would like to introduce in my classroom.

I think this would be especially good for students who are special needs, because often they are given so much information they are overwhelmed by information. This book does not do that.

I would love to see a workbook or activity book to go along with this textbook.
Profile Image for Sharon Tyler.
2,815 reviews40 followers
June 12, 2020
SuperSimple Chemistry: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide by DK Children is currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020. It is an aid for coursework, homework, studying for tests, and a comprehensive guide for grades 6-10. Each topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts crystal clear, and bring the science to life. A large central image explains the idea visually and each topic is summed up on a single page, helping children to quickly get up to speed and really understand how chemistry works. Information boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics and for further studying, a handy "Key Facts" box provides a simple summary you can check back on later.

SuperSimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide by DK Children is currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020. This biology book for kids 12+ years old is ideal for home and school learning. From reproduction to respiration and enzymes to ecosystems, this guide makes complex topics easy to grasp at a glance. Perfect support for coursework, homework, and studying for tests. Each topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts crystal clear, and bring the science to life. For key ideas, "How It Works" and "Look Closer" boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics. And for studying, a handy "Key Facts" box provides a simple summary you can check back on later.

Both of these books are exactly what one would expect from the titles, and the publisher. They are crisp, clean, and bright looking resources with concise and well written text. The sections are well organized and the pages are formatted to keep readers focused. I liked the balance of illustrations, charts, text, and the key facts boxes. I think resources like this are well timed (although I know they have been around previously) with everyone learning from home for months, and the worries about losing ground with studies, and the possibility of more home learning in the future for many. This would be useful both as a personal resource to support classroom work, as a resource in the classroom, or independent study for those interested in the specific field of study.
Profile Image for Annie.
4,738 reviews88 followers
June 14, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Supersimple Chemistry is a resource guide for learning and studying chemistry. Due out 23rd June 2020 from Penguin/Random House on their DK imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. As almost always with DK's offerings, I was blown away by the detailed, clear, and solidly expert photography. Every photo is well rendered and easy to follow. The supportive text is also clear and accessible.

This is a well written, factual, science based introduction to chemistry aimed at middle grades and up. The book introduces basic concepts starting with the scientific method and critical thinking skills, through basic chemistry: atoms, structure, isotopes, mixtures, solubility, etc and followed by chapters on elements and the periodic table, structure and bonding, states of matter, nanoscience, quantitative analysis, acids, metals, electrochemistry, rates of reaction, and even (surprisingly to me) a solid introduction to organic chemistry.

The graphics and formatting are top notch. There are color sidebars with explanatory details and side information. "Key Facts" sidebars also give bullet lists of salient points in easily remembered and digested one sentence capsules of information. Photographs and explanations cover all the concepts from lab safety to an overview of geochemistry.

Especially now that remote & self study have become so important, this would make a worthy addition to the student's home library. This book and its sister volume are written under the auspices of the Smithsonian.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Profile Image for Amy Robertson.
149 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2020
SuperSimple Chemistry, by D.K. Publishing, is a wonderful introduction to the beginner level of chemistry. This book is full of color and illustration that will grab the attention of the budding young chemist. The topics are clear, concise, organized, and informative. Each subject introduces a new catagory of chemical study. Readers are presented with just enough material to inspire, while not going into enough detail to overwhelm. Although this book is not to be used as a stand alone textbook, it does serve a certain age range an important purpose. To a newly scientific and curious mind, SuperSimple Chemistry provides a stimulating and fun exposure to the world of introductory chemistry.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of SuperSimple Chemistry:The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide in exchange for my honest and personal opinion.

#Netgalley
#SuperSimpleChemistry
Profile Image for Jamie Bee.
Author 1 book122 followers
June 22, 2020
Good Study Companion for Chemistry Students

If you are familiar with books by DK, you know that they are colorful, straightforward guides about any subject. This book is just like that. Each topic in the book is done on a single page with colorful photographs and illustrations that help provide a good overview of the page's topic. The subjects range from the basics of chemistry, like elements, bonding, and states of matter, to slightly more complex ones, like the math of chemistry (moles, anyone?), organic chemistry, and chemistry of the Earth. Even though this book is said to be for children, I think it would be an ideal companion to a high school or beginning college chemistry course. You could use it to flip through a few pages to grasp the essence of a topic before you plunge into the deeper textbook reading. Doing such provides a mental framework upon which to hang other facts and minutiae that will be read in a full textbook. I think books like this, too, help students who might struggle with the concepts of chemistry will find the simple breakdowns and colorful graphics helpful to deeper understanding.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
Profile Image for AcademicEditor.
816 reviews29 followers
January 20, 2021
This is a great review guide for key concepts! It would be a good textbook supplement or self-learner's guide to mastering the main principles. Logical and clear layout should be accessible for most readers.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
2,261 reviews25 followers
November 2, 2021
I didn't read everything in this attractive informative book about chemistry that I found in the youth section. I frequently look for non-fiction books in the youth section if I want something that is not too scholarly and academic. Although I have no plans to become a chemist, if I wanted to, I would study this title more thoroughly.
Profile Image for Ashley.
220 reviews12 followers
March 30, 2023
I home school my second grader, and we've been doing a chemistry unit. Chemistry was never my best subject, and it's been a long time since high school. This book has been very helpful. I use it to review and check my understanding so I can stay a step or two ahead of my kid.
341 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2020
This is a great colourful reference guide to basic concepts. The math is simple but still over my head. The diagrams are easy to follow.
Profile Image for Laura.
696 reviews22 followers
September 13, 2020
Like other DK Publishing books before it, this title is a great reference for students. Plenty of images and an easy to read layout for information.
14 reviews3 followers
March 20, 2021
When compared to Super Simple Biology/Physics, Chemistry appears to be more technical. It was an okay read but not a causual read.
340 reviews3 followers
December 25, 2021
It would have been a great resource if it was not plagued by errors and inconsistencies. Great pictures. And overall good collection of topics
Profile Image for Snow.
4 reviews
February 5, 2022
The illustrations are quite informative. good for a quick review for high school chemistry.
Profile Image for Vic.
103 reviews
Read
June 15, 2023
chem regents, here I come
Profile Image for Pramod Pant.
186 reviews4 followers
January 2, 2024
Rather basic , but very useful for all laypersons like me who’d benefit from basic issues and facts reiterated in case we forgot them after passing the examinations years back. The last is the unfortunate fact about schooling.

And the book is superbly produced !
Profile Image for Amy Robertson.
149 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2020
SuperSimple Chemistry, by D.K. Publishing, is a wonderful introduction to the beginner level of chemistry. This book is full of color and illustration that will grab the attention of the budding young chemist. The topics are clear, concise, organized, and informative. Each subject introduces a new catagory of chemical study. Readers are presented with just enough material to inspire, while not going into enough detail to overwhelm. Although this book is not to be used as a stand alone textbook, it does serve a certain age range an important purpose. To a newly scientific and curious mind, SuperSimple Chemistry provides a stimulating and fun exposure to the world of introductory chemistry.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of SuperSimple Chemistry:The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide in exchange for my honest and personal opinion.

#Netgalley
#SuperSimpleChemistry
Profile Image for Ann.
6,031 reviews83 followers
April 28, 2020
I love just about any book the DK Smithsonian publishes. This one is easy to read, colorful and will have any 10+ year olds picking it up without a fight. Chapters include Chemical Analysis,Chemistry of Acids,Metals, Organic Chemistry, Earth science, energy, and Climate . The illustrations are part of the lesson that is typically one page long. Great gift from grandparents. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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