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Super Simple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide
A fantastic aid for coursework, homework, and test revision, this is the ultimate study guide to biology.
From reproduction to respiration and from enzymes to ecosystems, every topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts clear, and bring biology to life. For key ideas, "How it works" and "Look closer" boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics. And for revision, a handy "Key facts" box provides a summary you can check back on later.
With clear, concise coverage of all the core biology topics, SuperSimple Biology is the perfect accessible guide for students, supporting classwork, and making studying for exams the easiest it's ever been.
From reproduction to respiration and from enzymes to ecosystems, every topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts clear, and bring biology to life. For key ideas, "How it works" and "Look closer" boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics. And for revision, a handy "Key facts" box provides a summary you can check back on later.
With clear, concise coverage of all the core biology topics, SuperSimple Biology is the perfect accessible guide for students, supporting classwork, and making studying for exams the easiest it's ever been.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2020
38 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,124 books2,072 followersDorling 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.
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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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 25, 2025
Goodreads reviewers have split on this book. Some have given it high marks for its engagement and ability to provide short synopses of important concepts. Others, have noted that some explanations are incomplete and that too much of some pages is taken up with graphics rather than text.
I side with the enthusiasts. This book is a mere study “guide” not a biology text. It paints with a broad brush a host of biological concepts.
It starts with “Working Scientifically” and here are some of the other major topics:
What is Life
Cells
Transport and Cells
Respiration
Enzymes
Nutrition in Plants
Nutrition in Humans
Transport in Plants
Transport in Animals
Nervous System
Hormones
Reproduction
Genetics and Biotechnology
Evolution
Ecology
Humans and the Environment
Health
I think it is quite good at its purpose and will, likely, encourage many readers to go further. Something that is a worthy objective.
I side with the enthusiasts. This book is a mere study “guide” not a biology text. It paints with a broad brush a host of biological concepts.
It starts with “Working Scientifically” and here are some of the other major topics:
What is Life
Cells
Transport and Cells
Respiration
Enzymes
Nutrition in Plants
Nutrition in Humans
Transport in Plants
Transport in Animals
Nervous System
Hormones
Reproduction
Genetics and Biotechnology
Evolution
Ecology
Humans and the Environment
Health
I think it is quite good at its purpose and will, likely, encourage many readers to go further. Something that is a worthy objective.
June 9, 2020
I considered using this for homeschooling next year but I'm not terribly impressed with it. Each topic gets just a page and most of that is taken up with illustrations and quick facts, leaving kids with little real information. In many cases, the information was incomplete because of the necessary brevity or made generalizations that aren't entirely accurate, which will leave kids with misconceptions about the topics. In other cases, it was written in a very confusing way. I would have been totally confused if the only information I got about the lymph system was from this book, for instance. I read one sentence three times trying to tell what they were trying to say. In other cases it almost read like propaganda, such as the section on how safe pharmaceutical drugs are, while other topics were tiptoed around ("most people agree" that global warming is caused by carbon emissions caused by burning fossil fuels) and it talks about the pros and cons of selective breeding but completely avoids the topic of genetic engineering and GMOs as if they don't exist.
There are good color illustrations, and it's a good book to skim if you just want bite size information. I would not use it for a stand-alone lesson though, and I would not rely on it for any in-depth information.
For now, I'm sticking with the digital flexbooks from CK-12, which are far more complete, can be customized and merged with other books and video content, are well written and easy to understand, and are free (flexbooks.ck12.org).
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
There are good color illustrations, and it's a good book to skim if you just want bite size information. I would not use it for a stand-alone lesson though, and I would not rely on it for any in-depth information.
For now, I'm sticking with the digital flexbooks from CK-12, which are far more complete, can be customized and merged with other books and video content, are well written and easy to understand, and are free (flexbooks.ck12.org).
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
June 22, 2020
Do Kids Really Learn All This?
I have to say I am surprised to see the range of topics that biology courses for grades 6 to 10 can cover. The back cover of this book states it is for that grade range. I never took biology in high school, and my middle school didn't have a specific biology class; we took more of a survey of sciences then. This study guide is wonderful, starting with the basics like defining life and discussing the scientific method and best techniques. After basics are covered, major sections of the book seem to alternate between looking at the biology of plants and that of humans and other animals. The pages are colorful with both illustrations and photos. Each page focuses on a single topic with key facts given as well as some details (surrounding the graphical elements—like other DK books you’ve seen). Some pages have brief experiment instructions, showing how to use good scientific technique; some feature prominent scientists. The book covers cutting-edge biology, like genomes and genetic engineering, as well as biological concerns, like species extinction and ecology. I do wonder how appropriate the book is for the 6th and 7th graders who might be taking biology in middle school as some of this gets pretty technical and mathematical. I certainly think it would be helpful for older students, especially those who are new to taking biology classes. I actually could have used a study guide like this myself when I took my first introductory biology class in college. While it, of course, doesn't cover any of these topics in any depth, it certainly provides a framework on which other learning can be attached. It would also be helpful for review to make sure you have your bases covered, helping you see what you need to review more fully. All in all, I do think this is a very helpful guide to the basic concepts of contemporary biology study.
I have to say I am surprised to see the range of topics that biology courses for grades 6 to 10 can cover. The back cover of this book states it is for that grade range. I never took biology in high school, and my middle school didn't have a specific biology class; we took more of a survey of sciences then. This study guide is wonderful, starting with the basics like defining life and discussing the scientific method and best techniques. After basics are covered, major sections of the book seem to alternate between looking at the biology of plants and that of humans and other animals. The pages are colorful with both illustrations and photos. Each page focuses on a single topic with key facts given as well as some details (surrounding the graphical elements—like other DK books you’ve seen). Some pages have brief experiment instructions, showing how to use good scientific technique; some feature prominent scientists. The book covers cutting-edge biology, like genomes and genetic engineering, as well as biological concerns, like species extinction and ecology. I do wonder how appropriate the book is for the 6th and 7th graders who might be taking biology in middle school as some of this gets pretty technical and mathematical. I certainly think it would be helpful for older students, especially those who are new to taking biology classes. I actually could have used a study guide like this myself when I took my first introductory biology class in college. While it, of course, doesn't cover any of these topics in any depth, it certainly provides a framework on which other learning can be attached. It would also be helpful for review to make sure you have your bases covered, helping you see what you need to review more fully. All in all, I do think this is a very helpful guide to the basic concepts of contemporary biology study.
July 13, 2020
Supersimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide is yet another excellent product from DK. Really, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with a DK book and any parent and/or teacher could do a lot worse than stocking their home or room library with nothing but in terms of non-fiction. Their books are always lucid, concise, and, in their best aspect, have absolutely fantastic illustrations. This one is no different.
The book opens up with a look at science as a study/field, discussing elements such as the scientific method, the tools of science, basic data collection and presentation. It then moves into the many broad topics, each subdivided into smaller categories/examples. In order, the broad categories are:
• What is Life
• Cells
• Transport and cells
• Respiration
• Enzymes
• Nutrition in Plants
• Nutrition in Humans
• Transport in Plants
• Transport in Animals
• Nervous System
• Hormones
• Reproduction
• Genetics and Biotechnology
• Evolution
• Ecology
The general categories, as noted, are further subdivided, with anywhere from a half-dozen to 20 or so specific topics, such as mitosis and meiosis, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, the eye, diabetes, protein synthesis, Darwin and Wallace, the water cycle, and a host more. Each specific topic is given 1-3 pages. Again as noted, all of them are very clearly presented (there’s a handy glossary for unfamiliar terms) in terms of language, but the standout element is the illustration, which goes a long way toward making difficult topics easier to understand thanks to being able to so clearly visualize them.
While one could learn some basics from this book, it really functions best as it says in its subtitle—as a study guide that acts either as a complement to more detailed, thorough readings or as a refresher for those of us who forgot, say, what ATP is and its role in the body.
I can’t say enough good about DK books. We bought a lot of them when our child was small, and when we gave away books, we kept all the DK for when he has his own children. They’re that good. Supersimple Biology is just one more stellar example. Highly recommended.
The book opens up with a look at science as a study/field, discussing elements such as the scientific method, the tools of science, basic data collection and presentation. It then moves into the many broad topics, each subdivided into smaller categories/examples. In order, the broad categories are:
• What is Life
• Cells
• Transport and cells
• Respiration
• Enzymes
• Nutrition in Plants
• Nutrition in Humans
• Transport in Plants
• Transport in Animals
• Nervous System
• Hormones
• Reproduction
• Genetics and Biotechnology
• Evolution
• Ecology
The general categories, as noted, are further subdivided, with anywhere from a half-dozen to 20 or so specific topics, such as mitosis and meiosis, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, the eye, diabetes, protein synthesis, Darwin and Wallace, the water cycle, and a host more. Each specific topic is given 1-3 pages. Again as noted, all of them are very clearly presented (there’s a handy glossary for unfamiliar terms) in terms of language, but the standout element is the illustration, which goes a long way toward making difficult topics easier to understand thanks to being able to so clearly visualize them.
While one could learn some basics from this book, it really functions best as it says in its subtitle—as a study guide that acts either as a complement to more detailed, thorough readings or as a refresher for those of us who forgot, say, what ATP is and its role in the body.
I can’t say enough good about DK books. We bought a lot of them when our child was small, and when we gave away books, we kept all the DK for when he has his own children. They’re that good. Supersimple Biology is just one more stellar example. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2021
Deutsche Lehrbücher sind wie so mancher Wikipedia-Artikel sehr sperrig und umständlich geschrieben und somit bestenfalls für Kenner eines Fachs ansprechend, aber nicht für jene, die gerade in einen neuen Wissensstoff einsteigen möchten. Das visuelle Biologiebuch erhebt zwar keinen Anspruch darauf, ein Lehrbuch im klassischen Sinne zu sein, bietet dafür aber in vielen Wissensgebieten der Biologie einen guten Einstieg und schafft so eine solide Basis für den Unterricht (und darüber hinaus).
Wenn ein Buch schon visuelles Wissen heißt, so verwundert es wenig, dass auf sehr viele Illustrationen und Fotos Wert gelegt wird, um das Wissen zu vermitteln. Da das Buch Schüler der Sek II anspricht, wird das Wissen natürlich nicht nur durch die Optik vermittelt, sondern auch durch ausreichend Text. Es handelt sich mitnichten um ein Bilderbuch, sondern die grafischen und Text-Elemente gehen Hand in Hand.
Die Themengebiete sind sehr umfassend und decken die meisten Gebiete der Biologie ab (das Inhaltsverzeichnis ist beim Blick ins Buch zu sehen) und gehen teilweise über den Lehrplan hinaus (je nach Bundesland, da gern an den naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern gespart wird).
Gut gemacht ist in dem Buch, dass nicht nur grundlegendes Wissen vermittelt wird, sondern dass auch viele Experimente und Versuche gezeigt werden. Nicht alle wird der Leser zu Hause durchführen können, aber manchmal ist es auch schon hilfreich zu sehen, was mit einem Versuch bewiesen werden kann. Und wer weiß, vielleicht nutzt ja auch der ein oder andere Lehrer diese Versuche, um diese in seinen Unterricht einzubauen.
Fazit
Das Biologiebuch Visuelles Wissen Biologie richtet sich an Schüler der Sekundarstufe I ab ca. der sechsten Klasse. Es erhebt nicht den Anspruch, ein Lehrbuch ersetzen zu wollen, sondern möchte einen guten Einstieg in die vielfältige Welt der Biologie geben. Das Buch kann meiner Meinung nach aber auch einfach nur das Interesse an diesem spannenden Fach wecken und so den Zugang dazu erleichtern. Selbstverständlich eignet sich das Buch auch für Erwachsene, um mal eben bestimmte Zusammenhänge nachzuschlagen (Wie funktionierte noch gleich die Photosynthese?).
Wenn ein Buch schon visuelles Wissen heißt, so verwundert es wenig, dass auf sehr viele Illustrationen und Fotos Wert gelegt wird, um das Wissen zu vermitteln. Da das Buch Schüler der Sek II anspricht, wird das Wissen natürlich nicht nur durch die Optik vermittelt, sondern auch durch ausreichend Text. Es handelt sich mitnichten um ein Bilderbuch, sondern die grafischen und Text-Elemente gehen Hand in Hand.
Die Themengebiete sind sehr umfassend und decken die meisten Gebiete der Biologie ab (das Inhaltsverzeichnis ist beim Blick ins Buch zu sehen) und gehen teilweise über den Lehrplan hinaus (je nach Bundesland, da gern an den naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern gespart wird).
Gut gemacht ist in dem Buch, dass nicht nur grundlegendes Wissen vermittelt wird, sondern dass auch viele Experimente und Versuche gezeigt werden. Nicht alle wird der Leser zu Hause durchführen können, aber manchmal ist es auch schon hilfreich zu sehen, was mit einem Versuch bewiesen werden kann. Und wer weiß, vielleicht nutzt ja auch der ein oder andere Lehrer diese Versuche, um diese in seinen Unterricht einzubauen.
Fazit
Das Biologiebuch Visuelles Wissen Biologie richtet sich an Schüler der Sekundarstufe I ab ca. der sechsten Klasse. Es erhebt nicht den Anspruch, ein Lehrbuch ersetzen zu wollen, sondern möchte einen guten Einstieg in die vielfältige Welt der Biologie geben. Das Buch kann meiner Meinung nach aber auch einfach nur das Interesse an diesem spannenden Fach wecken und so den Zugang dazu erleichtern. Selbstverständlich eignet sich das Buch auch für Erwachsene, um mal eben bestimmte Zusammenhänge nachzuschlagen (Wie funktionierte noch gleich die Photosynthese?).
June 23, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Supersimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide is a resource guide for learning and studying biology. 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 biology aimed at middle grades and up. The book introduces basic concepts starting with the scientific method and critical thinking skills, through building up concepts from cells, respiration, transport and respiration, enzymes, plant science, human physiology and nutrition, organ systems, a good solid introduction to genetics and biotechnology, ecology, climate science, and health science topics.
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 cellular anatomy to ecosystems and sustainability models.
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.
Supersimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide is a resource guide for learning and studying biology. 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 biology aimed at middle grades and up. The book introduces basic concepts starting with the scientific method and critical thinking skills, through building up concepts from cells, respiration, transport and respiration, enzymes, plant science, human physiology and nutrition, organ systems, a good solid introduction to genetics and biotechnology, ecology, climate science, and health science topics.
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 cellular anatomy to ecosystems and sustainability models.
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.
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.
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.
December 19, 2021
Curriculum must be interesting for children these days.
Always wondered what do children study book look like these days.
This topic is amazing. How big is the small invisible world of biology and how intricate. The book is simple to read. Well connected to the world with examples. Interesting topics. Going global then with ecology is quite something. Here children will have a lot more with biology then what’s included in the book. Clearly this is meant so that they will grow on all those ways, on the small world and the big one too. To much for a children book. It’s like a seedling with dna s to come.
Always wondered what do children study book look like these days.
This topic is amazing. How big is the small invisible world of biology and how intricate. The book is simple to read. Well connected to the world with examples. Interesting topics. Going global then with ecology is quite something. Here children will have a lot more with biology then what’s included in the book. Clearly this is meant so that they will grow on all those ways, on the small world and the big one too. To much for a children book. It’s like a seedling with dna s to come.
April 28, 2020
This book is part of a series that I love. Published by DK Smithsonian, it is called the Ultimate Bitesize study guide. The lesson is usually one page and the illustrations are beautiful and an important part of the guide. Chapters include Cells, Respiration, Plants, Nutrition, Nervous system, Hormones, and genetics. Great for your Junior High science buff or High school-er who needs simple explanations to complex issues. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 1, 2024
As the title says, "Bitesize Study," this book provides easy-to-understand explanations of various topics from chemistry, biology, ecology, etc. with illustrations on a single double-page spread.
It's very useful not only for children but also for adults, so it's a good idea to buy a copy and take some time to think about how chemistry works.
The Kindle eBook is in color when viewed in the browser version.
It's very useful not only for children but also for adults, so it's a good idea to buy a copy and take some time to think about how chemistry works.
The Kindle eBook is in color when viewed in the browser version.
January 20, 2021
Another great guide from DK! I like how it is organized by concept, so you can easily review and drill down where you need to work on your knowledge. Some of the pages can be a little cluttered but overall it's an appealing, well-explained reference.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
July 3, 2021
This is a great quick hit book for everything biology. Lots of great pictures and diagrams on how this operate.
Each page is a different topic. It’s very choppy, but it covers basically everything at an extremely high level.
Each page is a different topic. It’s very choppy, but it covers basically everything at an extremely high level.
August 17, 2020
Filled with pictures and diagrams, which is super helpful for me. And was great to nimble on to gain some knowledge
March 20, 2021
This is a very nice book to read to just refresh the basics of biology.
August 9, 2024
An okay overview over all of biology for someone who doesn't know much about it. The pictures are very nice, however the explanations are all very repetitive, meaning not that much information is actually contained in this book.
February 19, 2025
I’m using this biology book as a reference for my lectures, and I absolutely love it. It’s comprehensive, beautifully illustrated, and makes learning biology truly engaging.
June 11, 2020
I like that it is layer out like Cards for each concept. This is a great colourful reference guide to basic concepts. Just enough details to not bore you.
September 26, 2025
Not simple took awhile to read it, but I did learn most of what I wanted to learn. The most surprising part was the end of it. I found I almost got cyanide poisoning two weeks ago while reading the last sentence which made me glad about the fact I stopped doing what I was doing I didn't know it had cyanide. I would prefer if it didn't just cut out without an outro of some sort, but I'm fine without one. I would recommend this book to 13 and up just because of the topics near the middle. My favorite part is learning about plant cells I just enjoy reading that part.
April 30, 2020
Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Really awesome biology text designed to educate and engage young readers. Has plenty of bright photos and diagrams with easy to understand explanations. A definite must have for your child's supplementary reading.
Really awesome biology text designed to educate and engage young readers. Has plenty of bright photos and diagrams with easy to understand explanations. A definite must have for your child's supplementary reading.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews