The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,707 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Animated Science: Periodic Table

Sybrina Durant I this book because...

I loved the comic book style of this book. It’s very difficult to get kids interested in something that is usually presented to students initially as a dull and boring chart of letters and numbers. Every page of this book is jam-packed with information that makes you want to know more about the elements that make up our world. Kids learn more when learning is fun.

The parts and pieces that make up the periodic table are elemental to every aspect of our modern world, but the elements have always been vital to life and our very existence. This very modern-looking book's amazing pictures, graphics, and explanations make the material presented fun and approachable for anyone.

Most importantly, there are lots of colorful pages with kid-friendly information about each element. The elements are depicted in such a way that they literally jump out of the pages at you. Both the author and artist did an amazing job with this. Middle-graders and beyond will love this learning style.

By John Farndon, Shiho Pate (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Animated Science as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

The elements of the periodic table come alive in the
first book in a stellar non-fiction comic series by Shiho Pate!

From oxygen to hydrogen, carbon to plutonium, Animated
Science: Periodic Tablemakes chemistry come alive!


In this book you'll meet the building blocks of you, the world,
and the universe and see how they come together to make everything
you see, do and use every day.

With a narrative non-fiction text, kid-friendly information and
Shiho Pate's engaging illustrations, Animated Science: Periodic
Table is a perfect introduction and
ready reference, appealing and laugh-out-loud
funny.



Easily accessible for readers just learning the…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Basher Science: The Complete Periodic Table: All the Elements with Style!

Sybrina Durant I this book because...

I love the illustrations in this book. The depictions of all of the elements are absolutely adorable. 

Simon Basher’s Pokemon-ish artwork is amazing. This is important because pictures initially pull your eyes towards a page. Then, the text comes after. Beyond the art, the vital information is presented in a middle-grade language style. This book is an excellent study tool and resource for science students or anyone interested in the periodic table. 

By Simon Basher, Adrian Dingle, Dan Green

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Basher Science as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Do you confuse boron with barium or chlorine with fluorine? Fear not! Basher Science has come to the rescue by mixing science and art to create a unique periodic table. From unassuming oxygen to devious manganese, the incredible elements show you the periodic table as you've never seen it before.
Basher Science: The Periodic Table gives a face, voice and personality to the chemical elements, making learning chemistry easy and a whole lot more fun. This new expanded edition reflects the latest discoveries, and now each of the 115 elements has not just a picture but an information-packed page all…


Want my future book recommendations?

My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of A Kids' Guide to the Periodic Table: Everything You Need to Know About the Elements

Sybrina Durant I this book because...

For those who are more into realism than artistic representations, this book is the best.

It is very visual and contains many photographs representing each element. It also has many charts and graphs explaining the different sections of the periodic table in great detail. It offers a great way for 9 to 12-year-olds to learn about the elements of the periodic table.

By Edward Zovinka, Rose Clark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Kids' Guide to the Periodic Table as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From aluminum to zinc—make it fun for kids 8 to 12 to discover all 118 elements on the periodic table!

Discover the building blocks of the entire world! A Kids' Guide to the Periodic Table takes you on an incredible journey through history and science that will teach you all about the 118 elements that make up, well, everything!

Go in-depth with awesome profiles on each and every element that provide all their important elemental stats (like their atomic number, state, group, and more), as well as awesome facts about the element and its discovery. Take what you know about…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Magical Elements of The Periodic Table: Presented Alphabetically by The Metal Horn Unicorns

By Sybrina Durant, Pumudi Gardiyawasam (illustrator),

Book cover of Magical Elements of The Periodic Table: Presented Alphabetically by The Metal Horn Unicorns

What is my book about?

You may be wondering... What do metal horn unicorns have to do with the periodic table? All metals are elements, and metal horn unicorns are magical. That makes the Metal Horn Unicorn Tribe and their techno-magical unicorn friends from Unimaise the perfect group to familiarize your child with metals and other elements in the Periodic Table.

Their theme is No Metal, No Magic...and No Technology. They are absolutely right about that. The elements are what have given us all of our modern conveniences. The unicorns will introduce 26 of them in this alphabet-style book.

Every colorfully illustrated page is packed with information that allows readers to learn lots of magical and sciencey facts about the magical elemental unicorns.