Women in Chemistry

Can one girl's questions change the world?

Women in Chemistry follows a conversation between an inquisitive young girl, who wonders what living things are made of, and a scientifically astute narrator, whose answers are both accurate and approachable to a young mind. In this way, learning the basics of chemistry becomes a natural outcome of enjoying the story.

Designed to motivate girls to learn more about the natural world and see how one person can change the world, this book has been peer reviewed by an extensive team of scientists, science educators, and parents. One reviewer writes, "As a Biology teacher I appreciate the science, and as a dad of girls ages 6 and 3, I love its simplicity. The illustrations grab attention and the content is manageable."

Delve into the minds of inspirational women who've changed the world with their scientific discoveries. Scientists profiled include Cleopatra the Alchemist, Marie-Anne Paulze Lavoisier, Dawn Shaughnessy, Rosalind Franklin, and Ada Yonath. Concepts covered in this book include: protons, neutrons, electrons, atoms, elements, the periodic table, molecules, chemical structures, chemical reactions, matter, mass, observations, research, hypotheses, experiments, and more.

This engaging story of women who have done pioneering work in chemistry sold more than 3,000 copies in its original Kickstarter run. The second book in the “Science Wide Open” series, Women in Chemistry is an ideal place for children to start their own journeys of discovery and wonder.

Lexile Measure: 780L

Mary Wissinger was born in Wisconsin where she spent most of her childhood singing, reading, and daydreaming. She dove into storytelling through acting, singing, and writing (and writing and writing!). A former teacher, she can now be found at her standing desk in St. Louis, MO, writing stories that inspire curiosity about the world and connection with others.

John Coveyou began creating board games as a kid, but waited until 2013 to quit his engineering job and found his own board game company, Genius Games. Between those life events, John spent time in the US Army, earned a Master's Degree in Engineering from Washington University, and taught chemistry and physics to students all the way from middle school through college levels. John loves spending time with his wife and two kids, works full time running Genius Games and teaches Tabletop Game Design, Entrepreneurship, and Crowdfunding courses at Webster University in St Louis. He also has very specific ideas about the only way to cook a pancake.

Danielle Pioli is an artist and illustrator whose mission is to inspire others to create. The idea of creating a whole universe made her fall in love with art and storytelling as a child. She hopes to spark inspiration through her art, illustrations, comics, zines, poems, songs, and more.