NATICK, Mass. — A pair of seniors at Natick High School have written a children’s chemistry book aimed at making science more accessible and fun for younger students.
Michael Coppellotti and Addisyn Yaskis, both 17, wrote, illustrated, and published “Building Blocks of the World Around Us: A Kid’s Guide to Chemistry.”
The book is intended for children ages 9-12 and introduces concepts like atoms, DNA, matter, and everyday chemical reactions. The 36-page book comes complete with activities that kids and parents can do together.
“We’re trying to connect to how science shows up in one’s everyday life,” said Michael Coppellotti.
“A lot of kids may be curious in science, but they may not really know where to start,” said Addisyn Yaskis.
Coppellotti and Yaskis began writing the book in the spring and published it in July. It’s available for $20 on Amazon and other sites. The students plan to donate proceeds to organizations that promote STEM equity.
Their chemistry teachers were surprised to learn about the book, but were quick to praise Coppellotti’s and Yaskis’ work.
“It’s awesome seeing the level to which they process this material and can explain it to an audience in really kid-friendly language,” said Natick HS chemistry teacher Bill Sanford.
Dr. Nilu Chakraborty echoed her colleague’s praise.
“I’m a very ‘kitchen chemistry’ kind of person,” Chakraborty said. “I like to do activities with my kids... So I’m definitely going to cherish this [book]. I am going to use this a lot.”
With a year of high school left, Coppellotti and Yaskis are looking ahead to their futures. Coppellotti has plans to work in medical research, and Yaskis plans to become a doctor. They hope their book inspires more kids, just like their teachers inspired them.
“Instilling that at an early age can be really advantageous,” Coppellotti said.
“They get to realize that science is all around them and it’s not just in a lab,” Yaskis added.
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