Dr. Nguyen-Kim is a German science writer, journalist, and YouTuber. She writes with passion and wit about the importance of chemistry in daily life. She provides many examples that illustrate how molecules play a role in our lives, everything from why caffeine makes us alert, to the chemical makeup of body odour. Readers looking for information on a specific element or compound will need to use the index, as the concepts are woven into the narrative of a typical day in Mai’s life. One of the events in her day is a visit to her friend’s chemistry lab, where she describes the challenges of working as a chemist. Readers will learn about the applications of organic and inorganic chemistry and their impact on human health and society. Diagrams of chemical compounds and reactions will clarify the concepts being described.

240 pp., 5.5 × 8.5", b&w illustrations • Bibliography • Index

Source: Association of Book Publishers of BC - BC Books for Schools (2021-2022)

Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim's profile page

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DR. MAI THI NGUYEN-KIM is a chemist and science journalist. During her doctoral studies at Harvard, she started the YouTube channel The Secret Life of Scientists, which marked the start of her mission to “infect” people with a love of science. She lives in Germany, where she hosts a national TV series on science and produces the YouTube channel maiLab.

“This book shows that chemistry is not just relevant to life; it’s really, really interesting. Its is an insider’s look into scientists’ minds, social interactions, and laboratories that will change the way that readers view their lives, surroundings, and bodies … and gives advice that you didn’t know you needed. Chemistry for Breakfast is an engaging, accessible, and downright fun science book.”
—Foreword Reviews, STARRED review

“With its wealth of examples taken from everyday life, from soap to toothpaste, Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim’s charming romp through the essence of chemistry may just inspire a new generation of chemists.”
—Larry Gonick, author of The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry

“In Chemistry for Breakfast, Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim uses her passion for science to give us a lighthearted and enjoyable look into the fascinating discoveries hidden in the things we encounter every day.”
—Dr. Steven Farmer, author of Strange Chemistry: The Stories Your Chemistry Teacher Wouldn't Tell You 

“It is hard to resist being swept up in Mai's enthusiasm and begin to see the world—as she does—as a wonder of interacting chemical processes.”
—Dr. Paul May, professor at the University of Bristol, editor of the website Molecule of the Month, and co-author of Molecules that Amaze Us

“Chemistry for Breakfast bristles with imaginative ideas, and its fresh style will commend it to many readers, particularly those who would not usually read a ‘chemistry book’.”
—Dr. Simon Cotton, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Birmingham

“As readers journey through revelations about chemicals found in the likes of toothpaste, hamburgers, the brain and even human flatus, they may hardly notice that along the way they have been painlessly educated in the nuances of chemical bonding. Chemistry for Breakfast is a wonderful remedy for chemophobia, a condition that seems to be infectious and is much in need of treatment.”
—Joe Schwarcz, Chemistry Professor and Director, McGill Office for Science and Society 

“Blended with physics, biology and medicine, Mai’s book Chemistry for Breakfast is a magical tour of the fundamentals of chemistry and its impact on science and society.”
—K.C. Nicolaou, PhD, Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry at Rice University and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research

“Chemistry for Breakfast bristles with imaginative ideas, and its fresh style will commend it to many readers, particularly those who would not usually read a ‘chemistry book’."
—Dr. Simon Cotton, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Birmingham