What is it
Science Comics is a series of 20 illustrated books on topics such as: cats, sharks, robots, trees, and the solar system.
Each book is written and illustrated by a different cartoon writer and artist.
More info at the First Second website:
"Science Comics extends our non-fiction offerings to middle-grade readers. The Science Comics books will be narrow-focus, single-topic 128 page narrative nonfiction graphic novels, and a new volume will be published each season. The series will be written and drawn by some of the finest graphic novelists in the industry, and feature introductions by leading experts. Each book will cover topics from the fields of biology, chemistry, and physics, subjects that are part of the classroom curriculum and can be easily worked into lesson plans."
Who is it for
Based on my own observation, eight- to ten-year-olds are the most receptive to these books. They appeal to anyone with an interest in science topics, and who like having a lot of pictures.
What Kids Like
The books are fun and funny, as well as informative, and kids like that they can be entertained while also learning.
There are lots of fun, illustrated books about science topics, but this series gets the balance of humor and education just right.
What Parents Like
My kids like science and nature, but don’t want to sit through a documentary or read a book that is all (or mostly) text.
So I like that there is something that keeps them motivated to open the book and keep turning pages.
What the Critics Think
Goodreads reviews all 20 books with an average rating of around 4/5. The highest-rated of the series is Andy Hirsch’s "Science Comics: Cats: Nature and Nurture" and this is the one that got my kids hooked on the series.
Popular Science has a review with large sample pages
Who Made it / History
First Second is an imprint company under Macmillan and they began the Science Comics series in 2016 with "Dinosaurs: Fossils and Feathers" (MK Reed and Joe Flood; Spring 2016), "Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean" (Maris Wicks; Spring 2016), and "Volcanos: Fire and Life" (Jon Chad, Fall 2016). There are now 20 titles with more on the way. The next three in the series will be "Rocks and Minerals" by Andy Hirsch, "Crows: Bird Geniuses" by Kyla Vanderklugt, and "Skyscrapers: The Heights of Engineering" by John Kerschbaum.
First Second has lots of very attractively illustrated books
Where Can I Get it
Thriftbooks has the series, some for less than $6.