Books like Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry by ILEA Chemistry Project Team

Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie’s reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters?* The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it’s also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. THE DISAPPEARING SPOON masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery–from the Big Bang through the end of time. *Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear. source: Official Website

This book describes how curious people discovered the elements that are today known collectively as the periodic table. Various chapters describe the methodical science, accidents, and coincidences that led people to acknowledge a variety of invisible, nearly undetectable substances that make up our universe. Appropriate for Middle School and older readers.

Presents the basic concepts of chemistry and explains complex theories before offering a separate article on each of the building blocks that make up the universe.